Vaccine Against Respiratory Syncytial Virus in Near Future

A new study from The Ohio State University reveals hopeful results towards a vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).¹

RSV is defined as a common respiratory virus that causes mild, cold-like symptoms. This virus can be serious, especially in infants and older adults. It is the most common cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia in children under 1 year of age and a significant cause of respiratory illness in older adults.²

The study provides a potential blueprint for the vaccine that is weak enough that it doesn’t make people sick, but strong enough that it will create an immune response and defend against future RSV viruses.¹

Using a “reverse genetics” technique, researchers created RSV that is defective in N⁶-methyladenosine methylation, which is one of the most common modifications that our cells make to RNA.¹

The technique leaves the RSV as genetically stable, which means that a live, weakened RSV with these mutations could not revert back to a stronger virus.¹

This innovation towards an RSV vaccine could make vaccine production more economically feasible because it would not slow the RSV growth in a lab. This is a critical step in vaccine production, according to the researchers.¹

References

1. Vaccine against RSV could be in sight, researchers say. Ohio State University News. https://news.osu.edu/vaccine-against-rsv-could-be-in-sight-researchers-say/. Published October 9, 2019. Accessed October 9, 2019.
2. Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection (RSV). CDC website. https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/index.html. Published June 28, 2018. Accessed October 9, 2019.