Effect of ribavirin on junin virus infection in guinea pigs.
Junin virus (JUNV) is the aetiological agent of Argentine haemorrhagic fever. The pathogenesis of the infection is not well understood, no licensed vaccines exist and no specific antiviral therapy is available. Previous studies have demonstrated the ability of ribavirin to delay and reduce JUNV disease and virus burden in guinea pigs without preventing death. Based on available data, we performed three different studies to determine the efficacy of ribavirin against JUNV in the guinea pig model with a focus on survival. Different doses and treatment schedules of ribavirin were tested in a lethal model of JUNV infection. Our results show that prolonged treatment with high doses of ribavirin significantly reduces the mortality in guinea pigs infected with JUNV. These results may be useful in future experimental studies or clinical testing.
Galveston National Laboratory and Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, Department of Pathology, Sealy Vaccine Center, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
M
M
Salazar
N E
NE
Yun
A L
AL
Poussard
J N
JN
Smith
J K
JK
Smith
O A
OA
Kolokoltsova
M J
MJ
Patterson
J
J
Linde
S
S
Paessler
D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001117:Arenaviridae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000821:virology; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D018051:Junin virus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D056990:Post-Exposure Prophylaxis; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014709:Vero Cells
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D012254:Ribavirin