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Consequences of Immature and Senescent Immune Responses for Infection with Respiratory Syncytial Virus

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Challenges and Opportunities for Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccines

Part of the book series: Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology ((CT MICROBIOLOGY,volume 372))

Abstract

Infants in the first 6 months of life and older adults (>65 years of age) are disproportionately burdened with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-associated morbidity and mortality. While other factors play a role in the risk these groups assume, shortcomings of the immune response make a substantial contribution to the predisposition to severe disease. Ineffectual antibody production with misdirected cytokine responses and excess inflammation in the airways are common to both groups. However, the mechanisms underlying these immune responses differ between infants and older adults and need to be better understood. Preventative approaches to decreasing the burden of disease are preferable to therapeutic intervention and effective vaccination strategies will need to target the strengths of the immune responses in these populations.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Brenda Hartman for Fig. 1 graphics.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Vaccine Research Center, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA

    Allison M. W. Malloy & Tracy J. Ruckwardt

  2. University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA

    Ann R. Falsey

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  1. Allison M. W. Malloy
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  2. Ann R. Falsey
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  3. Tracy J. Ruckwardt
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Correspondence to Ann R. Falsey .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

    Larry J. Anderson

  2. Vaccine Research Center, NIH Natl. Inst. of Allergy & Infect. Dis., Bethesda, Maryland, USA

    Barney S. Graham

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Malloy, A.M.W., Falsey, A.R., Ruckwardt, T.J. (2013). Consequences of Immature and Senescent Immune Responses for Infection with Respiratory Syncytial Virus. In: Anderson, L., Graham, B. (eds) Challenges and Opportunities for Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccines. Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology, vol 372. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-38919-1_11

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