Back to Journals » Biologics: Targets and Therapy » Volume 2 » Issue 3

Review of palivizumab in the prophylaxis of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in high-risk infants

Authors Mejias A, Ramilo O

Published 12 September 2008 Volume 2008:2(3) Pages 433—439

DOI https://doi.org/10.2147/BTT.S3104

Review by Single anonymous peer review

Peer reviewer comments 2



Asunción Mejías, Octavio Ramilo

Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and Children’s Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA

Abstract: In respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) disease the balance between the innate and adaptive immune responses determines the expression of the pathological phenotype favoring the development of acute bronchiolitis, and in certain children the development of recurrent wheezing. While humoral antibody plays a major role in protection against disease, T-cell immunity targeted to viral proteins appears to terminate viral infection. At the moment, treatment modalities for acute RSV infection do not effectively modify the course of the disease, and RSV vaccine development has shown conflicting results. To date, however, passive immunoprophylaxis with monoclonal antibodies is the only strategy that has demonstrated consistent efficacy in reducing RSV hospitalizations in high-risk children. The potential benefit of new strategies for prevention and treatment of RSV infections should be evaluated with respect to both the acute infection as well as the chronic respiratory manifestations induced by RSV.

Keywords: respiratory syncytial virus, palivizumab, infants

Creative Commons License © 2008 The Author(s). This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited. The full terms of this license are available at https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution - Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License. By accessing the work you hereby accept the Terms. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. For permission for commercial use of this work, please see paragraphs 4.2 and 5 of our Terms.