Respiratory syncytial virus in infants: is maternal vaccination a realistic strategy?
OBJECTIVE
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) remains an important cause of serious and sometimes fatal acute lower respiratory tract disease in infants, yet no effective antiviral treatment or vaccine for the prevention of RSV in early life is available. Vaccination of women during pregnancy is considered to be the most plausible strategy to provide direct RSV antibody protection to young infants during a period of greatest vulnerability.


RESULTS
Interest in the development of RSV vaccines for immunization of women during pregnancy is high. Numerous studies are underway to better understand the epidemiology and impact of RSV disease in pregnant women and infants, as well as the role of maternal antibodies in the protection of infants against early and severe RSV disease, to identify and measure serologic correlates of protection to RSV in infants and develop well tolerated and immunogenic RSV vaccines for pregnant women.


CONCLUSIONS
Studies of RSV vaccination in pregnancy are in progress, making maternal vaccination a realistic intervention for the protection of young infants against RSV disease in the near future. Maternal immunization with an immunogenic vaccine has the potential to substantially impact the morbidity and mortality of RSV-associated lower respiratory tract illness in infants worldwide.
Department of Pediatrics and Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.
Flor M
FM
Munoz
D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D007112:Immunity, Maternally-Acquired / Q000187:drug effects; D017589:Immunization Programs / Q000379:methods*; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D037841:Pregnant People; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D022261:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D018113:Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D012136:Respiratory Syncytial Viruses / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D014611:Vaccination / Q000379:methods
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D022261:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccines