Poly(I)-poly(C12U) but not ribavirin prevents death in a hamster model of Nipah virus infection.
Clinical nonrandomized trials demonstrate some efficacy for ribavirin in the treatment of patients with severe Nipah virus-induced encephalitis. We report here that EICAR, the 5-ethynyl analogue of ribavirin, and the OMP-decarboxylase inhibitors 6-aza-uridine and pyrazofurin have strong antiviral activity against Nipah virus replication in vitro. Ribavirin and 6-aza-uridine were tested further in hamsters infected with a lethal dose of Nipah virus. The activity of these small-molecule inhibitors was compared with that of the interferon inducer poly(I)-poly(C(12)U). Both ribavirin and 6-aza-uridine were able to delay but not prevent Nipah virus-induced mortality. Poly(I)-poly(C(12)U), at 3 mg/kg of body weight daily from the day of infection to 10 days postinfection, prevented mortality in 5 of 6 infected animals.
Georges-Courbot
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MC
Unité de Biologie des infections virales émergentes, Institut Pasteur, Laboratoire P4, Jean Mérieux Inserm, Institut Fédératif de Recherche 128-Biosciences Lyon Gerland, 21 Avenue Tony Garnier, 69365 Lyon, France. mgeorges@cervi-lyon.inserm.fr
Contamin
H
H
Faure
C
C
Loth
P
P
Baize
S
S
Leyssen
P
P
Neyts
J
J
Deubel
V
V
D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D006224:Cricetinae; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D008297:Male; D008647:Mesocricetus; D045405:Nipah Virus / Q000187:drug effects*; D011070:Poly I-C / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014709:Vero Cells; D019562:Viral Load
D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D012254:Ribavirin; D011070:Poly I-C