Modulation of immunity to respiratory viral infection

Acute respiratory tract infections cause approximately 4 million deaths globally each year. Current strategies to combat these infections include vaccines and antiviral drugs. However, a significant proportion of the pathology and illness induced by respiratory viral infection is attributed to an excessive host immune response, rather than the cytopathic nature of the pathogen. Distinct respiratory viruses elicit common immune mediators and cells, which are subsequently the cause of pathology. Therefore, strategies that seek to attenuate the potency of the host's immune response may provide generic relief from multiple respiratory infections.