Efficacy of post-exposure treatment of yellow fever with ribavirin in a hamster model of the disease.
Ribavirin was evaluated as a potential treatment of yellow fever (YF) in a hamster model of the disease. Ribavirin treatment during the first five days after YF virus infection improved survival, reduced tissue damage in target organs (liver and spleen), prevented hepatocellular steatosis, and normalized alanine aminotransferase levels. The results of this study suggest that ribavirin may be effective in the early treatment of YF, and that its mechanism of action in reducing liver pathology in YF virus infection may be similar to that observed with ribavirin in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection.
Sbrana
Elena
E
Department of Pathology and Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555-0609, USA.
Xiao
Shu-Yuan
SY
Guzman
Hilda
H
Ye
Mengyi
M
Travassos da Rosa
Amelia P A
AP
Tesh
Robert B
RB
D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006224:Cricetinae; D005260:Female; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D008647:Mesocricetus; D023421:Models, Animal; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015004:Yellow Fever / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D012254:Ribavirin