Structural and Functional Aspects of the Small Hydrophobic (SH) Protein in the Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus

hRSV is the leading cause of respiratory disease in infants, elderly, and immunocompromised populations worldwide (Falsey et al., 2005; Nair et al., 2010). Most individuals are infected at a young age, before 3 years old (Glezen et al., 1986). In fact, RSV infection is the most common cause of hospitalization in children 5 years old and below. When severe infection occurs, respiratory airways and pulmonary development are affected. However, the viral determinants of disease severity are not well defined, as little is known about its molecular mechanism of pathogenesis.