2012 年 26 巻 1 号 p. 185-189
It has been shown that respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis is a risk factor for childhood asthma. Very interestingly, clinical symptoms of RSV infection in infancy and early childhood are extremely variable. Most infants experience an RSV infection before three years of age thereby normally escaping with only upper respiratory diseases, whereas approximately 1-2％ of them require hospitalization because of severe RSV bronchiolitis. Although RSV disease mechanisms of pathogenesis is not well understood, recent studies have established that inappropriate innate and adaptive immunity of host to RSV are deeply involved in the pathogenesis of RSV infection as well as unique characteristics of RSV. It has been shown that levels of inflammatory mediators, enhanced Th2/reduced Th1 responses and reduced immune regulation are strongly implicated in RSV pathogenesis. In this presentation we would like to present our own data about relationship between innate immune and adaptive immune responses to RSV and its components and pathogenesis of the disease.
