Recent developments in the biology of respiratory syncytial virus: are vaccines and new treatments just round the corner?

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the major cause of infantile bronchiolitis, and is an important pathogen in the elderly and in the developing world. The production of full length cDNA clones now allows precise genetic engineering of RSV, while knowledge of the immunopathogenesis of augmented disease gives hope that effective vaccines will soon be developed.