Table 4.

Characteristics of vaccines and mAbs against RSV in the Italian epidemiological context [5, 6, 15–17, 30, 31, 45]

Type	Target population and main characteristics
Maternal vaccines	Vaccination of pregnant women to protect neonates through transplacental transfer of maternal antibodies
	Protection of the neonate from birth
	Duration equivalent to the life of maternal antibodies (i.e., 2–4 months)
	Can immunize only infants born just before and during RSV epidemic season, and that have been born at term
mAbs with extended half-life	Neonates and infants
	Immediate onset of protection
	Duration of up to 5 months, throughout the RSV season
	Can immunize all children, at birth if born during the RSV season and by appointment if born before the season
Pediatric vaccines	Children, early infancy
	No protection during the first months of life
	Durable protection (years) throughout childhood

mAb monoclonal antibody, RSV respiratory syncytial virus