Host Responses to Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a widespread respiratory virus that often causes mild, cold-like symptoms. Most patients recover within a week or two, but RSV can be dangerous. It is an enveloped negative sense RNA virus from the Orthopneumovirus genus of the Pneumoviridae family. The viral genome contains ten genes that encode eleven proteins: nonstructural proteins 1 and 2 (NS1/2), nucleocapsid protein (N), matrix protein (M), phosphoprotein (P), small hydrophobic protein (SH), glycoprotein (G), fusion protein (F), large protein (L), and M2, which has two overlapping open reading frames that result in two proteins, M2-1 and M2-2. Prophylactic administration of virus-neutralizing human monoclonal antibodies directed to the F protein, such as Synagis® (Palivizumab) and Beyfortus® (Nirsevimab), has been shown to reduce the risk of ALRI in high-risk neonates. However, developing a vaccination for RSV has been difficult. Following decades of research, two RSV vaccinations have been authorized to prevent lower respiratory tract infections in older persons. The FDA has licensed a vaccine for active vaccination of pregnant women to protect infants from severe RSV disease during their first RSV season.

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