title: The quest for an efficacious antiviral for respiratory syncytial virus.
abstract: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) continues as an emerging infectious disease not only among infants and children, but also for the immune-suppressed, hospitalized and the elderly. To date, ribavirin (Virazole) remains the only therapeutic agent approved for the treatment of RSV. The prophylactic administration of palivizumab is problematic and costly. The quest for an efficacious RSV antiviral has produced a greater understanding of the viral fusion process, a new hypothesis for the mechanism of action of ribavirin, and a promising antisense strategy combining the 2'-5' oligoadenylate antisense (2-5A-antisense) approach and RSV genomics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Ariz., USA. Paul.Torrence@nau.edu
authors.forename: Paul F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Torrence
authors.forename: Linda D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Powell
mesh_terms: D015088:2',5'-Oligoadenylate Synthetase / Q000378:metabolism; D000227:Adenine Nucleotides / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015195:Drug Design; D004722:Endoribonucleases / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007372:Interferons / Q000502:physiology; D008561:Membrane Fusion / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008875:Middle Aged; D015394:Molecular Structure; D020319:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides, Antisense / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009843:Oligoribonucleotides / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D000069455:Palivizumab; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000628:therapy; D012136:Respiratory Syncytial Viruses / Q000187:drug effects*; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000227:Adenine Nucleotides; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D020319:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides, Antisense; D009843:Oligoribonucleotides; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin; C023505:2',5'-oligoadenylate; D007372:Interferons; D000069455:Palivizumab; D015088:2',5'-Oligoadenylate Synthetase; D004722:Endoribonucleases; C031956:2-5A-dependent ribonuclease