Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection. Pathogenesis Peculiarities, Prevention and Treatment Strategies

Abstract

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a most important cause of viral acute respiratory tract illness especially in infants and young children. In industrialized countries RSV infections account for 42–63% of hospital admissions with lower respiratory tract infections in children younger than 3 years of age. Risk factors for increased mortality and morbidity during RSV infection were prematurity, young age below 12 months as well old age, blood and cardiopulmonary diseases, immunocompromised conditions. In children hospitalized with RSV infections mortality is estimated to be approximately 1%, although it is increased up to 37% in patients with burdened anamnesis. Among respiratory viruses, RSV is the most common cause of airway obstruction, particularly in children below 1 year of age. RSVassociated infection in infancy is associated with distant harmful consequences: increased risk for developing bronchial obstruction during following respiratory diseases, systemic allergic sensitization and asthma in later life. Despite its importance, there is no safe vaccine as well as no effective medicines to protect against RSV infection. This brief report describes the mechanisms contributing to immunopathology of RSV infection and present status of treatment and prevention of this disease.