title: Induction of protective effector immunity to prevent pathogenesis caused by the respiratory syncytial virus. Implications on therapy and vaccine design.
abstract: Human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV) is the leading cause of respiratory illness in infants and young children around the globe. This pathogen, which was discovered in 1956, continues to cause a huge number of hospitalizations due to respiratory disease and it is considered a health and economic burden worldwide, especially in developing countries. The immune response elicited by hRSV infection leads to lung and systemic inflammation, which results in lung damage but is not efficient at preventing viral replication. Indeed, natural hRSV infection induces a poor immune memory that allows recurrent infections. Here, we review the most recent knowledge about the lifecycle of hRSV, the immune response elicited by this virus and the subsequent pathology induced in response to infection in the airways. Novel findings about the alterations that this virus causes in the central nervous system and potential therapies and vaccines designed to treat or prevent hRSV infection are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Millennium Institute on Immunology, Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Janyra A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Espinoza
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Bueno
authors.forename: Claudia A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Riedel
authors.forename: Alexis M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Kalergis
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000276:immunology; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D022261:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D022261:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccines
keywords: T helper type 1/type 2 cells; hRSV; lung; vaccination; viral