title: Simvastatin and oseltamivir combination therapy does not improve the effectiveness of oseltamivir alone following highly pathogenic avian H5N1 influenza virus infection in mice.
abstract: Nonspecific anti-inflammatory drugs have been purported to reduce the burden of severe influenza disease. We demonstrate that, unlike oseltamivir administration, simvastatin administration did not reduce morbidity, mortality, or viral load of mice infected with H1N1 or H5N1 viruses. No added benefit to the efficacy of oseltamivir therapy was observed when mice were treated in combination with simvastatin. Modest reductions in lung cytokine production in H5N1 but not H1N1 virus-infected simvastatin-treated mice indicate a potential benefit for statin use in mitigating disease following severe virus infection.
authors: Influenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, United States.
authors: Jessica A
authors: JA
authors: Belser
authors: Kristy J
authors: KJ
authors: Szretter
authors: Jacqueline M
authors: JM
authors: Katz
authors: Terrence M
authors: TM
authors: Tumpey
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000379:methods; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / Q000187:drug effects / Q000472:pathogenicity; D053124:Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype / Q000187:drug effects / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D051379:Mice; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D053139:Oseltamivir / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019821:Simvastatin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D053139:Oseltamivir; D019821:Simvastatin