Primary respiratory syncytial virus infection: pathology, immune response,and evaluation of vaccine challenge strains in a new mouse model

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the primary cause of lower respiratory tract illness in young children. Vaccine development has been hampered by the experience of the formalin-inactivated vaccine tested in the 1960's. Cu rrently, several vaccine candidates are under development and immune respon se to these candidate vaccines must be evaluated closely. We introduce a no vel low-dose murine model of RSV infection and a new pathologic scoring sys tem for the resultant pulmonary disease. We have also developed new sensiti ve methods for measuring cytokine expression. We then used this new model t o test vaccine challenge strains of RSV in order to determine their pathoge nicity. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Led. All rights reserved.