[Palivizumab--a monoclonal antibody for passive immunoprophylaxis of respiratory syncytial virus infections].

RSV is the most common cause of lower respiratory tract infections in infants. The humanised monoclonal antibody has been developed for prevention of serious lower respiratory tract disease caused by RSV. Palivizumab specifically inhibits subtypes A and B. In a large, multicenter, double-blind, randomised trial in 1502 infants at high risk of RSV infection, intramuscular palivizumab 15 mg/kg reduced the incidence of RSV-attributable hospitalization by 55% compared with placebo. Palivizumab was well tolerated. In Germany palivizumab prophylaxis should be considered only for high risk premature infants and high risk infants with chronic lung disease if the local rate of hospitalization attributable to confirmed RSV infection is frequent.