title: Ribavirin reduces mortality in enterovirus 71-infected mice by decreasing viral replication.
abstract: Enterovirus 71 (EV71) causes fatal encephalitis in young children. However, there is no effective antiviral drug available for infected patients. Ribavirin is currently used for the treatment of several RNA virus infections clinically, so its anti-EV71 efficacy was evaluated. In vitro results showed that ribavirin effectively reduced the viral yields (with an IC50 of 65 microg/mL) and virus-induced cytopathic effect in human and mouse cell lines. In vivo results showed that ribavirin reduced the mortality, morbidity, and subsequent paralysis sequelae in infected mice by decreasing viral loads in tissues. Thus, ribavirin could be a potential anti-EV71 drug.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University,Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Zhao-Hong
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Chien-Ming
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Pin
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ling
authors.forename: Fang-Hsiu
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Shih-Heng
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ching-Chuan
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Chun-Keung
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Shun-Hua
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D029821:Enterovirus A, Human / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D004769:Enterovirus Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D012254:Ribavirin