Identifying targets in the hunt for effective respiratory syncytial virus interventions

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of human infections worldwide. There is currently no effective vaccine or antiviral therapy available for widespread clinical use; prophylaxis with anti-RSV antibodies is used in only a small percentage of potential recipients. New targets for effective RSV interventions are needed. Previous anti-RSV intervention strategies have focused on targeting aspects of the virus, an approach that can lead to the emergence of resistant RSV strains. Increased understanding of the biology of RSV-host interactions provides an alternative approach for identifying novel targets for RSV interventions that focus on host factors, and exploiting them with the aim to limit the incidence and severity of RSV infections.