ROLE OF ANTIBODY AND THE USE OF RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS IMMUNOGLOBULIN IN THE PREVENTION OF RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS-DISEASE IN PRETERM INFANTS WITH ARID WITHOUT BRONCHOPULMONARY DYSPLASIA

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the only viral respiratory pathog en that produces an annual epidemic of respiratory illness. Infants wi th cardiac disease or infants born prematurely with or without broncho pulmonary dysplasia are at increased risk of severe RSV disease. A rec ently developed RSV immunoglobulin (RSVIG) was studied to determine sa fety and efficacy in prevention of severe RSV disease in such children who are high risk for severe RSV illness. Results from this prospecti ve, blinded trial involving 249 children (102 with bronchopulmonary dy splasia, 87 with congenital heart disease and 60 who were born prematu rely) indicate that high dose RSVIG reduced the incidence and severity of RSV lower respiratory tract infection. It is a safe and effective means of RSV prophylaxis in selected high risk children.