Replication Data for: Defining the vaccination window for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) using age-seroprevalence data for children in Kilifi, Kenya

Acute respiratory infection (ARI) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children To date there are no licensed vaccines for prevention of RSV disease in infants and young children. Some candidate vaccines have shown promising results[6–8]. Most recently, an attenuated vaccine MEDI ΔM2-2, developed by the use of reverse genetics systems has been shown to be highly restricted in replication and more immunogenic in RSV seronegative children than the previous lead live attenuated RSV vaccine candidates [9]. As a result, these findings provide evidence of availability of a promising candidate vaccine for young children and infants in the near future. The primary target for RSV vaccination is children under 6 months of age; a group highly susceptible to severe RSV disease[10]. However, vaccination of this age group is complicated by the presence of maternal antibodies, among other factors[11]. Assuming the efficacy of a potential vaccine is significantly reduced if administered in the presence of maternal antibodies, it follows that the age of vaccination should be delayed. However, a majority of primary RSV infections are acquired early in life[12] and so delaying vaccination could result in missing out on a large proportion of preventable infections. As such a vaccination window or age should be established such that there is minimal maternal antibody interference and a majority of infections have not occurred. In this study we present the age-specific prevalence of antibodies to RSV from a rural community at the Kenyan coast. We then develop three nested catalytic models that explore different assumptions on the RSV specific antibody dynamics. Samples were selected randomly from pediatric admissions to a County hospital in coastal Kenya, and screened for antibodies to RSV by ELISA. The data from this study provides basic understanding on natural response to RSV infection and has a bearing on the optimal age of RSV vaccine delivery.