Protection against respiratory syncytial virus by a recombinant Newcastle disease virus vector.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of severe lower respiratory tract disease in infants and the elderly, but no safe and effective RSV vaccine is yet available. For reasons that are not well understood, RSV is only weakly immunogenic, and reinfection occurs throughout life. This has complicated the search for an effective live attenuated viral vaccine, and past trials with inactivated virus preparations have led to enhanced immunopathology following natural infection.

Role for innate IFNs in determining respiratory syncytial virus immunopathology.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the major cause of severe lower airway disease in infants and young children, but no safe and effective RSV vaccine is yet available. The difficulties involved in RSV vaccine development were recognized in an early vaccine trial, when children immunized with a formalin-inactivated virus preparation experienced enhanced illness after natural infection. Subsequent research in animal models has shown that the vaccine-enhanced disease is mediated at least in part by memory cells producing Th2 cytokines.

Chinchilla and murine models of upper respiratory tract infections with respiratory syncytial virus.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of lower respiratory tract infections in infants and the elderly. While the primary infection is the most serious, reinfection of the upper airway throughout life is the rule. Although relatively little is known about either RSV infection of the upper respiratory tract or host mucosal immunity to RSV, recent literature suggests that RSV is the predominant viral pathogen predisposing to bacterial otitis media (OM).