Cell mediated immunity against RSV and influenza in a human experimental challenge model

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Influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are among the most common causes of lung infection. They affect around 664 million people each year worldwide, causing an estimated 500,000 and 160,000 deaths respectively. Current influenza vaccines need to change every year to overcome rapid viral mutation, and there is still no RSV vaccine. Further research is therefore urgently needed. T cells are important in controlling viral infections, but there is not enough known about their role in humans with influenza and RSV. Furthermore, there is evidence that the T cell response to RSV is not fully protective, leading to multiple infections with the same strain of RSV in some people. This work will be carried out at the Centre for Respiratory Infection, Imperial College London within Professor Peter Openshaw‘s department. Healthy volunteers will be infected with either RSV or a weakened strain of influenza in order to examine the response of the T cells in their blood and lung secretions. By observing the changes in T cells following each infection, and comparing the responses to influenza and RSV, we aim to identify the essential components of an effective T cell response so that they can be used to create better vaccines.