Mouse Models of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection causes considerable mortality and morbidity in infants and young children. RSV infection appears to elicit a mixed immune response characterized by both Th1-type cells and Th2-type cells. This immune response, along with clinical features such as bronchiolitis, wheezing, and respiratory distress caused by RSV infection, presents similarly to many features of asthma and has led to an investigation into the link between severe RSV infection and asthma. RSV infection in mice is a powerful and useful tool for eliciting a Th2-type-driven immune response, lending mechanistic insight into severe RSV infection. Here we present several materials and methods used for propagating and purifying RSV, infecting mice with RSV, and analyzing samples from RSV-infected mice.