Interferons, Interferon Inducers, and Interferon-Ribavirin in Treatment of Flavivirus-Induced Encephalitis in Mice

AUTOR(ES)

Leyssen, Pieter

FONTE

American Society for Microbiology

RESUMO

We evaluated the prophylactic and therapeutic efficacy of interferon α-2b, pegylated interferon α-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 α-2b, pegylated interferon α-2b, poly(I · C), or Ampligen. We also studied whether a combination of interferon α-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.

Documentos Relacionados

• Enhancement, by Two Carboxylic Acid Interferon Inducers, of Resistance Stimulated in Mice by Foot-and-Mouth Disease Vaccine
• Treatment of toxoplasmic encephalitis in mice with recombinant gamma interferon.
• The asthma syndrome: inciters, inducers, and host characteristics.
• A single nucleotide polymorphism, rs129679860, in the IL28B locus is associated with the viral kinetics and a sustained virological response in a chronic, monoinfected hepatitis C virus genotype-1 Brazilian population treated with pegylated interferon-ribavirin
• Lack of both Fas Ligand and Perforin Protects from Flavivirus-Mediated Encephalitis in Mice