title: Age-dependent differences in cytokine and antibody responses after experimental RSV infection in a bovine model.
abstract: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes severe respiratory disease in both infants and calves. As in humans, bovine RSV (BRSV) infections are most severe in the first 6 months of life. In this study, experimental infection with BRSV was performed in calves aged 1-5, 9-16 or 32-37 weeks. Compared to younger animals, older calves showed significantly less fever and lower TNFalpha levels and less virus-specific IFNgamma release. In addition, blood from older animals had more mononuclear cells, more B cells and stronger BRSV-specific IgA and neutralising antibody responses to infection. A strong "inflammatory" but weak humoral antiviral response in very young animals suggests that enhanced inflammation contributes to disease during RSV infection during the early postnatal period.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Diagnostics and Research, Danish Institute for Food and Veterinary Research, Bülowsvej 27, DK 1790 Copenhagen, Denmark. sng@dfvf.dk
authors.forename: Susanne N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Grell
authors.forename: Ulla
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Riber
authors.forename: Kirsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tjørnehøj
authors.forename: Lars E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Larsen
authors.forename: Peter M H
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Heegaard
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007112:Immunity, Maternally-Acquired; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D018112:Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Bovine / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D012136:Respiratory Syncytial Viruses / Q000276:immunology*; D010253:Respirovirus Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G