Our laboratory is interested in the immunopathogenesis of viral infections, and more specifically on respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
RSV is the leading viral pathogen in infants and young children worldwide causing respiratory tract disease. In addition to the acute morbidity, numerous studies have described a strong association between RSV infection in infancy and the development of recurrent wheezing and asthma later in life. Despite significant advances in our understanding of RSV and its role in human disease, many aspects of the pathogenesis of RSV infection are still unclear, and there is no vaccine currently available. It is generally accepted that at least two factors play a major role in the pathogenesis of this condition: 1) the virus itself, with its ability to multiply and replicate in the respiratory epithelium, and 2) the host immune/inflammatory response, which is responsible for clearing the infection but also contributes significantly to the lung damage and to the persistence of clinical symptoms. Our group is using a comprehensive approach with different strategies both in humans and in animal models to characterize the pathogenesis of the disease and to develop novel therapeutic strategies for RSV infections.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Immunopathogenesis and new therapies for viral infections
Host?pathogen interactions
RECENT PUBLICATIONS
Jafri HS, Chavez-Bueno S, Mejias A, Rios AM, Nassi SS, Yusuf M, Kapur P, Gomez AM, Hardy RD, Hatfield J, Rogers BB, Krisher K, Ramilo O, "Respiratory syncytial virus lower respiratory tract infection induces acute pneumonia, cytokine response, airway obstruction and chronic inflammatory infiltrates associated with long-term airway hyperresponsiveness in a murine model" Journal of Infectious Diseases, 189:1856-65, 2004
Saavedra-Lozano J, Cao Y, Callison J, Sarode R, Sodora D, Edgar J, Hatfield J, Picker L, Peterson D, Ramilo O, Vitetta ES, "An Anti-CD45RO Immunotoxin kills HIV latently-infected cells obtained from individuals on HAART with little effect on CD8 memory" Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 101:2494-9, 2004
Mejias A, Chavez-Bueno S, Rios AM, Saavedra-Lozano J, Fonseca-Aten M, Hatfield J, Kapur P, Gomez AM, Jafri HS, Ramilo O, "Anti-RSV Neutralizing Antibody Decreases Lung Inflammation, Airway Obstruction And Airway Hyperresponsiveness in the Respiratory Syncytial Virus Murine Model" Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 5:1811-22, 2004
Buckingham SC, Jafri HS, Bush AJ, Guthrie C, Sheeran P, Hardy RD, Ottolini MG, Ramilo O., DeVincenzo J P, "A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, trial of dexamethasone in severe respiratory syncytial virus infection: Effects on RSV quantity and clinical outcome" J Infect Dis, In press 2002
McCoig C, Castrejon M, Saavedra-Lozano J, Castano E, Baez C, Lanier R, Saez-Llorens X, Ramilo O, "CSF and Plasma Concentrations of Pro-Inflammatory Mediators in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Children" Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, 23:114-8, 2004
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