SAN ANTONIO - While in most children, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) mimics the common cold or flu, it can be serious, particularly in infants. It can cause pneumonia, bronchiolitis, fever, runny nose, sore throat, and death in severe cases. Parainfluenza Virus 3 (PIV3) is a virus that is also an important cause of lung infections in infants. A research study is currently being conducted to evaluate an investigational vaccine for RSV and PIV3.
RSV is the leading cause of hospitalization in infants less than one year old. It infects most people at some point, but people usually don’t know that they have had it because testing for RSV is not typically done.
PIV3 infections are most common in the spring and summer. In younger infants, PIV3 can cause lung infections, pneumonia, or bronchiolitis, similar to RSV infection.
RSV and PIV3 are found in the community each year and most children have been exposed to these viruses by two years of age. Older children and adults can be re-infected although this illness is usually milder than when an infant is exposed for the first time to these viruses.
There is no vaccine for RSV and PIV3. There is a drug to help prevent serious respiratory illness due to RSV, but it is only given to children who have the highest risk for serious RSV disease. It is only approved for use in the United States.
Your child may be eligible to participate in a research study to evaluate an investigational vaccine. This investigational vaccine is being developed to see if it can help prevent serious respiratory illness from RSV and PIV3. Study volunteers must be one to three months or six to 24 months old, be in general good health and not living in the same home or enrolled in the same classroom at day care with infants less than 6 months old. Parents and guardians must be willing to travel frequently to the study doctor’s office for study visits. Study participants will receive all study-related exams, study-related lab tests and study vaccinations at no charge. Compensation for time and travel may be available for eligible participants.
For more information please call Clinical Trials of Texas, Inc. at (210) 949-0122 or visit SAresearch.com.
