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An In vitro Model to Study Immune Responses of Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells to Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection
Published on: December 10, 2013
Prevention of respiratory syncytial virus infections
1Department of Pediatrics, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo.
Insights
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes significant infant illness. New passive and active immunization strategies offer hope for preventing RSV infections, addressing a critical unmet medical need.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Immunology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of severe lower respiratory illness in infants and young children globally.
- While most RSV infections are mild, high-risk groups like premature infants and the elderly face severe disease, hospitalization, and death.
- Past vaccine development efforts, including a formalin-inactivated RSV vaccine, have faced challenges.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review novel strategies for preventing respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections.
- To highlight advancements in both passive and active immunization approaches against RSV.
- To discuss the current landscape and future potential of RSV prevention.
Main Methods:
- Review of current literature on RSV immunology and immunopathogenesis.
- Analysis of existing and emerging passive immunization methods, including immune globulins and monoclonal antibodies.
- Examination of various vaccine candidates for active immunization against RSV.
Main Results:
- Passive immunization options, such as polyclonal immune globulin and monoclonal antibodies, are available and licensed for specific high-risk populations.
- Significant progress has been made in understanding RSV immunology, paving the way for new vaccine candidates.
- Multiple vaccine candidates are under development for active immunization, showing promise for broad RSV prevention.
Conclusions:
- Despite past setbacks, novel strategies for both passive and active immunization are advancing RSV prevention.
- Licensed passive immunotherapies provide crucial protection for vulnerable infants.
- Ongoing research into RSV vaccines holds significant promise for reducing the global burden of this common viral illness.
Abstract:
Respiratory syncytial virus is the most important cause of viral lower respiratory illness in infants and children worldwide. By the age of 2 years, nearly every child has become infected with respiratory syncytial virus and re-infections are common throughout life. Most infections are mild and can be managed at home, but this virus causes serious diseases in preterm children, especially those with bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Respiratory syncytial virus has also been recognized as an important pathogen in people with immunossupressive and other underlying medical problems and institutionalizated elderly, causing thousands of hospitalizations and deaths every year. The burden of these infections makes the development of vaccines for respiratory syncytial virus highly desirable, but the insuccess of a respiratory syncytial virus formalin-inactivated vaccine hampered the progress in this field. To date, there is no vaccine available for preventing respiratory syncytial virus infections, however, in the last years, there has been much progress in the understanding of immunology and immunopathologic mechanisms of respiratory syncytial virus diseases, which has allowed the development of new strategies for passive and active prophylaxis. In this article, the author presents a review about novel approaches to the prevention of respiratory syncytial virus infections, such as: passive immunization with human polyclonal intravenous immune globulin and humanized monoclonal antibodies (both already licensed for use in premature infants and children with bronchopulmonary dysplasia), and many different vaccines that are potential candidates for active immunization against respiratory syncytial virus.
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