Respiratory Syncytial Virus: Current Progress in Vaccine Development

• Main Authors: Julia L. Hurwitz, Sherri L. Surman, Rajeev Rudraraju, Robert Sealy, Bart G. Jones
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2013-02-01
• Series: Viruses
• Subjects: respiratory syncytial virus; candidate vaccines; protective immunity
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/5/2/577

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the etiological agent for a serious lower respiratory tract disease responsible for close to 200,000 annual deaths worldwide. The first infection is generally most severe, while re-infections usually associate with a milder disease. This observation and the finding that re-infection risks are inversely associated with neutralizing antibody titers suggest that immune responses generated toward a first RSV exposure can significantly reduce morbidity and mortality throughout life. For more than half a century, researchers have endeavored to design a vaccine for RSV that can mimic or improve upon natural protective immunity without adverse events. The virus is herein described together with the hurdles that must be overcome to develop a vaccine and some current vaccine development approaches.