title: In vitroantiviral activity of ribavirin against severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging infectious disease caused by severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV), a novel bunyavirus. As yet, there is no effective antiviral therapy for SFTS. Ribavirin is a broad-spectrum antiviral agent, which has been tried for treatment of SFTS. In this study, antiviral activity of ribavirin against SFTSV has been investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Vero cell-grown SFTSV strain Gangwon/Korea/2012 was treated with ribavirin at various concentrations. Antiviral activity of ribavirin was evaluated by inhibition of the SFTSV cytopathic effect in Vero cells and quantification of viral RNA load in culture supernatant using one-step real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Cytotoxicity of ribavirin was determined by a tetrazolium-based colorimetric method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ribavirin reduced SFTSV titers in a dose-dependent manner, with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration ranged from 3.69 to 8.72 μg/mL. Cytopathic effects were reduced as ribavirin concentration increased. No significant cytotoxicity was detected at ribavirin concentrations of ≤ 31.3 μg/mL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ribavirin exhibited inhibitory activity against SFTSV replicationin vitro, which suggests that ribavirin can be used as a potential antiviral agent for SFTS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Myung Jin
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Kye-Hyung
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Jongyoun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Infection & Immunity, Seoul National University Hospital Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Su Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Pyoeng Gyun
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Choe
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Wan Beom
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Nam Joong
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Myoung-Don
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Oh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D016856:Phlebovirus / Q000187:drug effects*; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000821:virology; D017282:Tick-Borne Diseases / Q000821:virology; D014709:Vero Cells
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D012254:Ribavirin
keywords: Antiviral agents; Bunyaviridae infections; Phlebovirus; Ribavirin