Turkish pediatricians’ knowledge, attitudes, and awareness of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection and immunization strategies: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background. This study aims to assess Turkish pediatricians’ knowledge and attitudes regarding respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection and its current immunization strategies. Methods. From May 10 to June 4, 2024, we invited 1603 pediatricians who subscribed to the website of The Turkish Pediatrics Atelier via e-mail to respond to an online questionnaire. A total of 401 pediatricians responded. Results. Of pediatricians, 11% stated that they routinely use chest X-ray (CXR) for diagnosing RSV illness. When managing RSV-positive patients, while 44.4% of pediatricians indicated that they need a CXR if there are lung auscultation findings, the rate of routine CXR usage was 22.7%. While most pediatricians (74.8%) stated that they prefer nebulized salbutamol and/or corticosteroid; 43.4% used hypertonic saline; and 22.7% used nebulized epinephrine as a treatment option. While 60.3% of pediatricians had no information about the maternal RSV vaccine; 58.1% stated that they would recommend it to only willing women; 16% stated that they would not recommend it; and 25.9% indicated that they would recommend it to every pregnant individual. While most pediatricians (79.8%) had knowledge about nirsevimab; 14% indicated that it was not approved in children worldwide; 49.1% stated that it is more effective than palivizumab; and 37.9% indicated that they would start administrating it immediately after its approval and availability in Türkiye. Conclusions. The use of CXR and administration of non-evidence-based therapies in diagnosing and managing RSV illness were relatively high. Additionally, there is a notable gap in knowledge and awareness regarding the maternal RSV vaccine and nirsevimab. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.