Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is an enveloped, negative-sense, single-stranded RNA virus of the Orthopneumovirus  genus of the Pneumoviridae family in the order Mononegavirales. RSV can cause acute upper and lower respiratory tract infections, sometimes with extrapulmonary complications. The disease burden of RSV infection is enormous, mainly affecting infants and older adults aged 75 years or above. Currently, treatment options for RSV are largely supportive. Prevention strategies remain a critical focus, with efforts centered on vaccine development and the use of prophylactic monoclonal antibodies. To date, three RSV vaccines have been approved for active immunization among individuals aged 60 years and above. For children who are not eligible for these vaccines, passive immunization is recommended. A newly approved prophylactic monoclonal antibody, Nirsevimab, which offers enhanced neutralizing activity and an extended half-life, provides exceptional protection for high-risk infants and young children. This review provides a comprehensive and detailed exploration of RSV's virology, immunology, pathogenesis, epidemiology, clinical manifestations, treatment options, and prevention strategies.
Humans ; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections/prevention & control* ; Respiratory Syncytial Viruses/pathogenicity* ; Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human/pathogenicity* ; Antiviral Agents/therapeutic use*

OBJECTIVEThe impact of human bocavirus (HBoV), a newly identified human parvovirus, on childhood persistent wheezing has not been identified. In this study, the clinical features of infantile persistent wheezing induced by HBoV was analyzed.

METHODSTracheal aspirates were collected by bronchofibroscope or nasopharyngeal (NP) aspirates from April, 2006 to January, 2007. HBoV DNA in the tracheal aspirates of 33 children with persistent wheezing and in NP aspirates of 6 children with persistent wheezing, who had at least or more than four weeks wheezing. RSV was identified by virus isolation in Hep-2 cells and antigen detetion by direct immunofluorescence assay (DIFA) which was also used for diagnosis of adenovirus, influenza A and B, parainfluenza 1, 2, 3 infection.

RESULTSOf the 39 children with persistent wheezing, 12 cases (31%) were positive for HBoV DNA. Age of HBoV-positive patients ranged from 2 month to 1 year. The results of sequencing of PCR products proved that sequences of HBoV DNA from these 12 samples were exactly identical to the those of HBoV stored in GeneBank (accession numbers DQ000495 and DQ000496). Two cases with HBoV infection were found to be co-infected with RSV. Ten of the 12 HBoV-positive samples were collected during the period from winter to spring (1 in November, 4 in December, 2 in January and 3 in April), the other two HBoV-positive samples were collected during the period from summer to autumn (1 in May and the other in July). Seven of the 12 HBoV DNA-positive patients had fever, 5 of them had high fever. Significantly more patients with HBoV infection had fever as compared to patients with RSV infection. All the HBoV positive patients showed abnormal findings on chest X ray such as interstitial infiltrates, lung infiltration and hyperinflation. Abnormal findings on chest X ray were found in higher proportion of HBoV positive patients as compared with RSV positive patients. And other manifestations such as wheezing, cough and respiratory distress had no significant difference between HBoV and RSV infected patients.

CONCLUSIONSThis study further demonstrated that HBoV probably is a common pathogen of lower respiratory infection in children and might particularly be associated with persistent wheezing.

Child, Preschool ; Cough ; etiology ; Female ; Fever ; etiology ; Human bocavirus ; pathogenicity ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Nasopharynx ; pathology ; Paramyxoviridae Infections ; physiopathology ; Parvoviridae Infections ; physiopathology ; Respiratory Sounds ; etiology ; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections ; classification ; physiopathology ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; virology

Child ; Humans ; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections ; immunology ; virology ; Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human ; immunology ; pathogenicity

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of the extract from gardenia on influenza viral pneumonia in mice and virus-induced cytopathic effect.

METHODThe mice were infected by influenza virus in nasal, the lung inflammation, mortality rate and life elongation rate were observed respectively. The anti-viral activity of the extract from gardenia was accessed by cytopathic effect (CPE) in vitro and 0% toxicity concentration (TC0), 50% toxicity concentration (TC50), 50% inhibitor concentration (IC50), therapeutic index (TI) were determined by Reed-Muench method.

RESULTThe pneumonia induced by influenza virus in mice was inhibited significantly by the extract from gardenia, as the mortality rate decreased and the life elongation rate increased remarkably. Meanwhile the NO content in serum decreased significantly; The cytopathic effect induced by six kinds of viruses was inhibited remarkably.

CONCLUSIONThe six kinds of viruses were inhibited significantly by the extract from gardenia which inhibitory effect on mice influenza viral pneumonia was related to the NO content decreased.

Animals ; Antiviral Agents ; pharmacology ; Cells, Cultured ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Epithelial Cells ; cytology ; virology ; Esophagus ; cytology ; virology ; Female ; Gardenia ; chemistry ; Herpesvirus 1, Human ; drug effects ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype ; drug effects ; Male ; Mice ; Nitric Oxide ; blood ; Orthomyxoviridae ; pathogenicity ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Pneumonia, Viral ; blood ; drug therapy ; Random Allocation ; Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human ; drug effects

Child ; DNA, Antisense ; genetics ; DNA, Viral ; genetics ; Genetic Therapy ; methods ; Humans ; RNA, Antisense ; genetics ; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections ; therapy ; Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human ; genetics ; pathogenicity