comparing pertussis and rsv stats

[Spectrolite]

If it counts for anything:

From http://www.synagis.com/what-is-rsv.aspx

"It is estimated that the annual infant death rate due to RSV is 10 times greater than that of the flu, with up to 400 infant deaths from RSV each year in the U.S."

vs

from
The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal:Volume 22(7)July 2003pp 628-635
Increase in deaths from pertussis among young infants in the United States in the 1990s
[ORIGINAL STUDIES]

VITEK, CHARLES R. MD*; PASCUAL, F. BRIAN MPH; BAUGHMAN, ANDREW L. PhD; MURPHY, TRUDY V. MD

In 1980-1989: 77 pertussis deaths (61 in infants, 49 were under 4mo)
In 1990-1999 103 pertussis deaths (93 in infants, 84 under 4 mo)


Greater chances of infants dying from RSV than pertussis...
But of course an RSV vaccine is being talked about (if not in the works already, I forgot now)

[Free Thinker]

They actually do have RSV 'vaccine' available to preemies, it's not really a vaccine like other vaxes, it's the antibodies to RSV and it's very $$ so your baby has to 'qualify' to get it. On my twin moms board several babies have been hospitalized for RSV this year, and the moms w/ preemie twins had the shots if they could get their insurance to cover them.