title: In vitro and in vivo studies of ribavirin action on Brazilian Orthobunyavirus.
abstract: Oropouche, Caraparu, Guama, Guaroa, and Tacaiuma are viruses (genus Orthobunyavirus) that cause human febrile illnesses and encephalitis. The goal of this study was to evaluate the antiviral action of ribavirin on these orthobunyaviruses to achieve a therapeutical agent to treat the diseases caused by these viruses. In vitro results showed that ribavirin (50 microg/mL) had antiviral activity only on the Tacaiuma virus. Addition of guanosine in the culture reversed the antiviral effect of ribavirin on Tacaiuma virus, suggesting that ribavirin inhibited this virus by reducing the intra-cellular guanosine pool. Moreover, ribavirin was not an effective drug in vivo because it was unable to inhibit the death of the mice or virus replication in the brain. The results suggest that ribavirin has no antiviral activity on the Oropouche, Caraparu, Guama, Guaroa, or Tacaiuma viruses; consequently, ribavirin would not be a good therapeutical agent to treat these arboviruses.
authors.affiliation: Center for Research in Virology, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo USP, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. pink@rpm.fmrp.usp.br
authors.forename: Márcia C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Livonesi
authors.forename: Ricardo L Moro
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: De Sousa
authors.forename: Soraya J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Badra
authors.forename: Luiz T M
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Figueiredo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002044:Bunyaviridae Infections / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002460:Cell Line; D051379:Mice; D016851:Orthobunyavirus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D012254:Ribavirin