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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Nirsevimab, the monoclonal antibody approved to protect infants from RSV, is also cutting down on antibiotic use. A study of over 15,000 infants found it reduced antibiotic prescribing by 14% for respiratory infections, 40% for bronchiolitis, and nearly 70% for RSV-related hospitalizations. Researchers say it could be a powerful new tool in the fight against antibiotic overuse.
Nirsevimab (Beyfortus), the monoclonal antibody approved in 2023 to shield infants from RSV, is delivering an unexpected but welcome bonus: significantly fewer antibiotic prescriptions. A new study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases used electronic health record data from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Primary Care Network to compare antibiotic use in infants who received nirsevimab versus those who didn't across two RSV seasons.
The findings are striking. Nirsevimab-treated infants saw meaningful reductions in antibiotic prescribing across multiple respiratory conditions — not just RSV-related hospitalizations, but also common outpatient visits. Researchers also found reductions in antibiotic use for ear infections and viral respiratory infections, suggesting a broad ripple effect on unnecessary prescribing.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: Roughly half of children hospitalized with RSV receive antibiotics — often unnecessarily. Nirsevimab's ability to reduce antibiotic overuse makes it a dual-purpose tool: protecting infants from RSV while also supporting antibiotic stewardship efforts at a time when antimicrobial resistance is a growing global concern.
