Pharmacotherapy of respiratory syncytial virus infection

Respiratory syncytial virus is the most common cause of severe lower respiratory disease in infants and young children. Its importance as a pathogen in the elderly and in the immunocompromised is becoming more clearly understood. RSV infection in infancy may lead to chronic lung disease ion later life. Newer forms of therapy are needed. This review will discuss the status of many types of compounds that interfere with RSV infection, including antibodies, inosine-5'-monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH) inhibitors, fusion inhibitors, entry inhibitors, anti-sense RNA inhibitors, and nucleoprotein inhibitors.