Parents will soon be able to breathe a little. Anyone who has ever seen their baby’s chest sink so far they can breathe knows what it is. Bronchiolitis, a contagious and very common respiratory virus, affects 30% of children under the age of two in France each year.
But thanks to a vaccine, things could soon change.
What is bronchiolitis?
Bronchiolitis is an acute – and therefore contagious – viral infection that affects the bronchioles, that is, the small bronchi. Coughing and rapid wheezing are the main symptoms and can be very discouraging, but bronchiolitis most often remains a benign disease.
It usually starts with a cold or nasopharyngitis with a mild fever. A dry cough then appears. Then comes a “Respiratory discomfort which results in wheezing and labored breathing (noisy on exhalation) “.
It is possible to develop a severe form, although this is rare. Children are most at risk the little ones, especially those under the age of two months. The first two days require more monitoring, knowing that the disease lasts an average of ten days.
Bronchiolitis: a forthcoming vaccine
On Friday 16 September 2022, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) announced that a vaccine would be launched, initially reserved for premature and high-risk babies. authorized for all children, as a preventive treatment.
This bronchiolitis vaccine consists of a monoclonal antibody that will protect children during the epidemic period, which runs approximately from October to March. According to initial studies, the vaccine, the result of a Sanofi-AstraZeneca partnership, would reduce infections by 75% and the monoclonal antibody would help the natural defense system of still underdeveloped children to fight the disease.
However, let’s not get carried away too quickly: the vaccine will not be marketed this winter, but probably next, in 2023. Because the outbreak typically doesn’t start until October, deadlines are too tight for the steps in regulatory procedures before a vaccine is sold. Furthermore, the European Commission must validate the authorization for its placing on the market. Once done, the vaccine could be accessible to all children under the age of one.
Photo credit image of one: naumoid
Source: Madmoizelle
Ashley Root is an author and celebrity journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a keen eye for all things celebrity, Ashley is always up-to-date on the latest gossip and trends in the world of entertainment.
