04.05.2024

We talked previously about a particular infection  known as RSV which affects a lot of children and  . infants around the world, and I want to clear up  some misconceptions that sometimes go around about  . an RSV vaccine. Currently, there is no vaccine  for RSV although there are some in clinical trials  . that are showing great promise. But, the word RSV  vaccine can sometimes be used for a treatment that  . is actually given to high risk infants. RSV is a  virus that carries its genetic information on RNA,  . but there is a treatment or a preventative  that can be given to high risk infants such  . as those that are born prematurely or some  that may have immunocompromised conditions,  . and this treatment is actually an antibody  or monoclonal antibody treatment known as  . Palavizumab. Now the way that this works is this  treatment is given to these highrisk infants,.

And this antibody then is present in their  bodies for about three to six months,  . so if they come in contact with RSV  their bodies actually already have  . antibodies ready to fight it off. Now that's  primarily what would be the consequence of  . getting a vaccine. Your body receives a  vaccine, it then makes its own antibodies,  . and then it remembers it in case it comes in  contact with that virus in the future. But,  . the way that this treatment works is that you're  only giving that high risk infant the antibodies.  . So, the downside is they don't actually have that  long lasting memory or that long lasting effect,  . which is why an RSV vaccine is critical in  order to enter the market to protect more  . children. The way that this treatment works is  that if a child comes in contact with RSV these.

antibodies are going to bind to it and neutralize  it before it has a chance to make that child sick.