Interferons, interferon inducers, and interferon-ribavirin in treatment of flavivirus-induced encephalitis in mice.

Abstract

We evaluated the prophylactic and therapeutic efficacy of interferon alpha-2b, pegylated interferon alpha-2b, poly(I. C), and Ampligen against Modoc virus encephalitis in an animal model for flavivirus infections. All compounds significantly delayed virus-induced morbidity (paralysis) and mortality (due to progressive encephalitis). Viral load (as measured on day 7 postinfection) was significantly reduced by 80 to 100% in the serum, brain, and spleen in mice that had been treated with either interferon alpha-2b, pegylated interferon alpha-2b, poly(I. C), or Ampligen. We also studied whether a combination of interferon alpha-2b and ribavirin (presently the standard therapy for the treatment of infections with hepatitis C virus) would be more effective than treatment with interferon alone. However, ribavirin did not enhance the inhibitory effect of interferon therapy in this animal model for flavivirus infections.

• Authors: Pieter Leyssen, Christian Drosten, Marcus Paning, Nathalie Charlier, Jan Paeshuyse, Erik De Clercq, Johan Neyts
• Journal: Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy (Antimicrob Agents Chemother) Vol. 47 Issue 2 Pg. 777-82 (Feb 2003) ISSN: 0066-4804 [Print] United States
• PMID: 12543691 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antiviral Agents
• Interferon alpha-2
• Interferon-alpha
• Recombinant Proteins
• Poly U
• Polyethylene Glycols
• Ribavirin
• poly(I).poly(c12,U)
• Poly I-C
• peginterferon alfa-2a

Topics

• Animals
• Antiviral Agents (therapeutic use)
• Brain (virology)
• Chlorocebus aethiops
• Encephalitis, Viral (blood, drug therapy)
• Flavivirus (pathogenicity)
• Flavivirus Infections (blood, drug therapy)
• Interferon alpha-2
• Interferon-alpha (therapeutic use)
• Mice
• Mice, SCID
• Poly I-C (therapeutic use)
• Poly U (therapeutic use)
• Polyethylene Glycols (therapeutic use)
• Recombinant Proteins
• Ribavirin (therapeutic use)
• Spleen (virology)
• Vero Cells