Progress in prevention and treatment of respiratory syncytial virus disease in children

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of acute lower respiratory tract infections in infants and young children worldwide.Despite the magnitude of RSV disease,there remains no licensed vaccine product.Hand washing and isolation are highly effective in reducing the spread of RSV infection.Palivizumab can protect infants at high risk for RSV disease with safe and effective passive prophylaxis despite of the high costs.Treatment of RSV disease remains primarily supportive therapy.Clinical trials of bronchodilators,corticosteroids and leukotriene antagonists have not demonstrated conclusive benefit.The antiviral drug ribavirin is also not recommended for routine treatment of RSV infection.Future directions in treatment and prevention of RSV infections likely include the more potent antiviral compounds and the successful vaccination against RSV. Key words: Respiratory syncytial virus ;  Prevention ;  Therapy ;  Child