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Published on: April 4, 2019
Prevention and Treatment Strategies for Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
Dvir Gatt1, Isaac Martin1, Rawan AlFouzan1
1Division of Respiratory Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada.
Insights
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes severe respiratory illness, particularly in children. Recent advancements in understanding RSV pathogenesis have led to new prevention strategies, including vaccines and passive immunization, offering protection from infancy to old age.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Immunology
- Public Health
Background:
- Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of severe lower respiratory tract infections globally, especially in young children.
- Current treatments for RSV are primarily supportive, with no approved vaccine available despite decades of research.
- Significant progress in understanding RSV pathogenesis and immunopathology has been made in the last two decades.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current treatment options for acute RSV disease.
- To discuss evolving therapeutic approaches for RSV prevention.
- To highlight advancements in RSV vaccines and passive immunization strategies.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of current treatment options for acute RSV disease.
- Analysis of recent advancements in RSV prevention strategies, including vaccines and passive immunization.
- Synthesis of information on RSV pathogenesis and immunopathology.
Main Results:
- Despite high prevalence and morbidity, effective RSV therapies remain limited, with supportive care being the mainstay.
- New potential vaccines and successful passive immunization strategies are emerging for RSV prevention.
- These advancements aim to provide comprehensive protection against RSV across all age groups, from infancy to old age.
Conclusions:
- The evolving understanding of RSV pathogenesis is driving significant progress in prevention.
- A combination of new vaccines and passive immunization holds promise for widespread RSV protection.
- Future strategies will offer comprehensive coverage against RSV, addressing a critical unmet medical need.
Abstract:
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of severe lower respiratory tract disease, especially in young children. Despite its global impact on healthcare, related to its high prevalence and its association with significant morbidity, the current therapy is still mostly supportive. Moreover, while more than 50 years have passed since the first trial of an RSV vaccine (which unfortunately caused enhanced RSV disease), no vaccine has been approved for RSV prevention. In the last two decades, our understanding of the pathogenesis and immunopathology of RSV have continued to evolve, leading to significant advancements in RSV prevention strategies. These include both the development of new potential vaccines and the successful implementation of passive immunization, which, together, will provide coverage from infancy to old age. In this review, we provide an update of the current treatment options for acute disease (RSV-specific and -non-specific) and different therapeutic approaches focusing on RSV prevention.
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