title: Failure of interferon alpha-2b in a patient with West Nile virus meningoencephalitis and acute flaccid paralysis.
abstract: WNV infection can cause meningoencephalitis (MNE) and acute flaccid paralysis (AFP). Both syndromes are associated with high morbidity and mortality. Interferon alpha-2b (IFN-alpha-2b) inhibits WNV replication in vitro. To date, 5 patients with WNV-CNS disease have recovered neurologic function with IFN-alpha-2b. We report the first failure of IFN-alpha-2b in the treatment of WNV-MNE-AFP.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, USA. kchan@medicine.umaryland.edu
authors.forename: Kirk M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Chan-Tack
authors.forename: Graeme
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Forrest
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D017211:Treatment Failure; D014901:West Nile Fever / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins