NEW DIAGNOSTIC ASSAY FOR DETERMINING SEVERITY OF RSV INFECTION

摘要

The invention comprises a method for the prediction of the severity of a disease developing from an infection with human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in a subject, comprising the steps of: a. determining the plasma levels of interleukin 8 (IL-8) and RANTES (CCL5); b. determining the blood cell count of CD4+ T cells; c. making a prediction on basis of the values obtained in steps a) and b). In such a method the prediction is the development of a severe disease state of the RSV infection, if the plasma IL-8 level is more than 60 pg/mg, preferably more than 65 pg/ml, more preferably more than 67.2 pg/ml, the RANTES plasma level is less than 15 ng/ml, preferably less than 14 ng/ml, more preferably less than 13 ng/ml and the CD4+ cell count is less than 3*10 6 cells per ml blood, preferably less than 2.5*10 6 cells per ml blood, more preferably less than 2.03*10 6 cells per ml blood.