Stampidine prevents mortality in an experimental mouse model of viral hemorrhagic fever caused by lassa virus.
BACKGROUND
The potential use of microorganisms as agents of biological warfare (BW) is a growing concern. Lassa virus, a member of the Arenavirus class of Hemorrhagic fever (HF) viruses has emerged as a worldwide concern among public health officials. The purpose of the present study was to further elucidate the antiviral activity spectrum of stampidine, a novel nucleoside analog with potent anti-viral activity against the immunodeficiency viruses HIV-1, HIV-2, and FIV, by examining its effects on survival of mice challenged with Lassa virus.


METHODS
We examined the therapeutic effect of Stampidine in CBA mice inoculated with intracerebral injections of the Josiah strain of Lassa virus. Mice were treated either with vehicle or nontoxic doses of stampidine administered intraperitoneally 24 hours prior to, 1 hour prior to, and 24 hours, 48 hours, 72 hours, and 96 hours after virus inoculation.


RESULTS
The probability of survival following the Lassa challenge was significantly improved for stampidine treated mice (Kaplan Meier, Chi-squared = 11.7, df = 2, Log-Rank p-value = 0.003).


CONCLUSIONS
Therefore, stampidine shows clinical potential as a new agent for treatment of viral hemorrhagic fevers caused by Lassa virus.
Uckun
Fatih M
FM
Parker Hughes Center for Clinical Immunology, St Paul, MN 55113, USA. fatih_uckun@ih.org
Petkevich
Alexander S
AS
Vassilev
Alexei O
AO
Tibbles
Heather E
HE
Titov
Leonid
L
D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D054306:Dideoxynucleotides; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006482:Hemorrhagic Fevers, Viral / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D007836:Lassa virus; D051379:Mice; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D018119:Stavudine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013938:Thymidine Monophosphate / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D054306:Dideoxynucleotides; C472384:stampidine; D013938:Thymidine Monophosphate; D018119:Stavudine