Recapping RSV's Historic Year & What Comes Next with Barbara Taylor, MD, MS

Published on: September 19, 2023

The UT Health infectious disease specialist reviews new vaccine and treatment options, as well as the threat of an RSV-flu-COVID "triple-epidemic" in this winter season.

Episode Highlights

0:16 Intro
0:48 The burden of RSV today
2:11 Transmission, presentation and diagnosis of RSV
4:33 Likelihood of an RSV, COVID-19, flu “triple-demic”
7:35 The history of RSV vaccine development
12:09 Risk of RSV mutation and variants
14:19 The new RSV vaccines
20:09 Spacing the RSV vaccine with other seasonal shots
22:14 Age and comorbidities as vaccine criteria
24:30 In vitro immunization
27:39 Nirsevimab and monoclonal antibodies for RSV
29:31 Using the full toolset against RSV
31:50 Yearly COVID-19 vaccine updates?
33:24 A universal flu vaccine?
37:20 Outro

Few subjects are timelier in pulmonology right now than respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). As the US begins the latest fall-winter season of high RSV transmission, it does so armed with its first available vaccine: Arexvy, for the prevention of lower respiratory tract disease caused by RSV, in adults ≥60 years old.¹

What’s more, the introduction of a new vaccine adds a dynamic to what is anticipated to become a recurring health decision for adults in each fall: among the available RSV, influenza and COVID-19 vaccine doses available, who should take what—and when?

In the September 2023 episode of Lungcast, a pulmonologist and infectious disease specialist pair up to set everything straight in RSV preparedness.

Lungcast host Albert Rizzo, MD, chief medical officer of the American Lung Association, and member of the HCPLive Editorial Advisory Board, speaks with Barbara S. Taylor, MD, MS, associate professor of infectious diseases and assistant dean for the MD/MPH program at UT Health San Antonio, for a review on what’s new and what’s emerging in modern RSV epidemiology and prevention.

Throughout the episode, Rizzo and Taylor discuss the new RSV season; available and investigative vaccines; in vitro immunization; the risk of a “triple-epidemic” between RSV, flu and COVID-19; monoclonal antibodies and other therapies for RSV; and the future prospects for overall respiratory virus prevention and vaccine development.

Lungcast is a monthly respiratory health podcast series from the ALA produced by HCPLive.

Subscribe to Lungcast on Spotify here or listen to the latest episode below:

Reference

^{US Food and Drug Administration. FDA Approves First Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Vaccine. Press release. Last updated May 4, 2023. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-first-respiratory-syncytial-virus-rsv-vaccine}