Epidemiology: RSV plays an important role in respiratory infections among the infant population, particularly in infants and younger children. It is the leading viral respiratory tract disease worldwide, causing bronchiolitis and pneumonia in infants and young children. There are approximately 100,000 cases and 4,500 deaths each year from RSV infections in the United States (1). Typically, all children become infected with RSV by 2 to 3 years of age; however, infections can recur up to 5-6 per year. RSV was first extracted from chimpanzees displaying upper respiratory tract disease as the agent in 1956 (1). The chimpanzees had upper respiratory tract disease as well as rhinitis, runny nose and malaise. Humans who interacted with these chimpanzees soon also had mild upper respiratory tract disease. A Long strain was recovered in children suffering from bronchopneumonia while a Schneider strain was recovered from a patient with croup. Together, a group of scientists combined all these strains into one term called “respiratory syncytial virus” (3). Characteristics: RSV is a pleomorphic, enveloped, cytoplasmic, negative single-stranded RNA virus (3). This virus belongs to the Paramuxoviridae family and the Penumovirinae subfamily. It has a single serotype and two antigenic subtypes, A or B. In total, 8 of the ten total RSV proteins are present in infected cells and virions, eight being structural and two nonstructural (3). The viral envelope has three glycoproteins: G, F, and SH protein (4). Furthermore, RSV has 5 other structural proteins which include L, N, P, M, and M2-1 (4). Two non-structural proteins: NS1 and NS2 are identified with RSV, but it is not yet known whether these two proteins are part of the set...... half of the article...... by healthy newborns (4) . Risk factors for severe RSV infection or hospitalization may include premature birth, low birth weight, liver disease, Down syndrome, or other chromosomal abnormalities (4). Signs and symptoms are similar to those of the common cold. It may include runny nose, nasal congestion, pharyngitis, and cough (3). Other features of RSV include mucosal edema and fever (4). Usually, infections reach the lower respiratory tract and cause bronchitis, pneumonia, fever, middle ear disease, and wheezing. Typically the illness lasts about 7-12 days. However, studies have shown that up to 75% of patients with RSV bronchiolitis show symptoms of wheezing and lung dysfunction years later (3). These symptoms diminished and disappeared over the next 10 years, but some patients continued to show symptoms and were classified as having asthma.