摘要：Since the identification of respiratory syncytial virus(RSV) in the late 1950s, it has been recognised as amajor cause of lower respiratory tract infection inyoung children.1RSV is a member of theparamyxoviru s family, an RNA virus related to otherrespiratory viruses such as influenza and parainfluenza.In the United States of America in 1991, diseasecaused by RSV was estimated to be responsible forthe hospitalisation of 100,000 children at a cost ofUS$300 million.2The significance of RSV infectionsis the high rates of infection in very young infants, andthe difficulties in diagnosis, treatment and vaccinationof this high-risk group. Given this, the progresstowards the development of therapies to preventinfection, or at least prevent the potentially severeconsequences of infection, have been watched withgreat interest
