It’s a picture of family joy – but a cough from the baby or a wheeze from Grandpa can quickly turn serious. This is how the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) silently threatens the heart of family life.
One of the most overlooked threats to respiratory health, RSV is incredibly common – and contagious. It leads to lower respiratory tract infections such as bronchiolitis and pneumonia.
Globally, RSV is responsible for 33 million infections and 3.6 million hospitalisations in children under age five every year.
The “Breath of Hope” campaign, launched on Aug 18 by the Obstetrical and Gynaecological Society of Malaysia (OGSM) and Pfizer Malaysia, highlights RSV prevention through education and health partnerships, stressing maternal immunisation, elderly protection, and family responsibility in safeguarding the vulnerable.
“This is our and Pfizer’s commitment to making a huge difference in the lives of newborn babies, the lives of grandparents, and the lives of mothers,” said Dr Muniswaran Ganeshan, OGSM’s past president.
“When the baby breathes for the first time, it is our role that that breath is sustained for a lifetime.”
In Malaysia, the virus tends to surge during monsoon seasons (July-August and October-December), filling infant ICUs with severe cases. But it also affects adults over 60.
According to the 2023 National Health Morbidity Survey, over 500,000 Malaysian adults live with at least four chronic conditions, placing them at a heightened risk of severe RSV-related complications.
Pfizer Malaysia has announced a significant step forward with the approval by the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency of its new RSV vaccine, Abrysvo. This bivalent vaccine is the first of its kind in the country to be approved for adults aged 60 and above, and for pregnant women to protect their infants.
Dr Anna Marie Nathan, a senior consultant paediatrician and paediatric pulmonologist, said data has indicated that vaccination has proven to be “more than 90%” effective against severe RSV infection.
For expectant mothers, protection starts before the baby is born. By receiving the vaccine during pregnancy – between 24 and 36 weeks gestation – mothers can pass on protective antibodies through the placenta, giving their newborns a stronger defence during those fragile first months of life.
According to Nathan, the burden is especially heavy in Malaysia. “When you look at RSV infections, 95% of cases happen in low- to middle-income countries, and Malaysia will be included.”
She said statistically, out of every three to four children admitted for a lower respiratory tract infection, one is caused by RSV. Over 50% of young patients admitted with RSV are under six months old, and more than 85% under two years.
Seniors, too, need just as much attention. Older family members, particularly those living with chronic illnesses such as diabetes, asthma or heart disease, are more likely to experience severe complications from RSV.
Dr Tan Maw Pin, a professor in geriatric medicine, stressed the urgency of shifting the perception that RSV only affects children.
“When I went to medical school, we didn’t know that older people got RSV. But over the past few years, because of increased availability of testing, we found that there were more deaths in older adults with RSV than children,” she said.
Tan warned that the problem is growing. “What was really shocking to us is that RSV causes more deaths compared to influenza. That is why we need to vaccinate.”
Pfizer’s vaccine is available in hospitals and clinics nationwide, and Malaysians are encouraged to consult their healthcare providers about eligibility.