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Updated: Jun 29, 2026

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
Pulmonary immunity and immunopathology: lessons from respiratory syncytial virus
Matthew R Olson1, Steven M Varga
1Department of Microbiology, Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Immunology, 51 Newton Road, 3-532 Bowen Science Building, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA. matthew-r-olson@uiowa.edu
Abstract:
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of severe respiratory disease in infants and is an important source of morbidity and mortality in the elderly and immunocompromised. This review will discuss the humoral and cellular adaptive immune responses to RSV infection and how these responses are shaped in the immature immune system of the infant and the aged environment of the elderly. Furthermore, we will provide an overview of our current understanding of the role the various arms of the adaptive immune response play in mediating the delicate balance between the successful elimination of the virus from the host and the induction of immunopathology. Efficacious immunization against RSV remains a high priority within the field and we will highlight recent advances made in vaccine design.
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