Antiviral research
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Surrogate markers are an important component in the process of investigating management and prevention strategies, and for increasing understanding of viral diseases. The importance of surrogate markers and applied statistical models is particularly true for HIV. For HIV infection, the development of such methods provides new approaches for evaluation of HIV therapies and vaccines, and for the study of HIV transmission and its pathogenesis. The complex natural history of hepatitis B infection demonstrates that viral load is not the only predictor of transmission of this virus; for hepatitis C infection, viral load per se is not a prognostic factor for disease progression, but cumulative viral load may affect the outcome, and therapy is aimed at eliminating active viral replication.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Oral brivudin in comparison with acyclovir for herpes zoster: a survey study on postherpetic neuralgia.
This concerns a double-blind survey study on 608 herpes zoster patients treated with 1x 125 mg oral brivudin (n=309) or 5x 800 mg acyclovir (n=299), both for 7 days, during two prospective, randomised clinical herpes zoster trials. The survey aimed at evaluating the outcome of the two treatment regimens on postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). During a follow-up ranging from 8 to 17 months after start of treatment, former study participants aged >/=50 years were interviewed for the occurrence of PHN. ⋯ The incidence of PHN, defined as zoster-associated pain occurring or persisting after rash healing was significantly lower in brivudin recipients (32.7%) than in acyclovir recipients (43.5%, P=0.006). Mean duration of PHN was similar with brivudin (173 days) and acyclovir (164 days, P=0.270). Despite some methodological disadvantages common to this type of study, the present survey provides for the first evidence that brivudin treatment during acute herpes zoster favourably affects the incidence of PHN in immunocompetent elderly herpes zoster patients.
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The filoviruses, Marburg and Ebola, are classified as Category A biowarfare agents by the Centers for Disease Control. Most known human infections with these viruses have been fatal, and no vaccines or effective therapies are currently available. Filoviruses are highly infectious by the airborne route in the laboratory, but investigations of African outbreaks have shown that person-to-person spread requires direct contact with virus-containing material. ⋯ Some progress has been made in developing vaccines and antiviral drugs, but efforts are hindered by the limited number of maximum containment laboratories. Terrorists might have great difficulty acquiring a filovirus for use as a weapon, but my attempt to do so because of the agents' ability to inspire fear. Accurate information is the best tool to prevent panic in the event of an attack.
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ISIS 2922 is a phosphorothioate oligonucleotide with potent antiviral activity against human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) in cell culture assays. The ability of ISIS 2922 to inhibit replication of HCMV when used in combination with other antiviral agents approved for treatment of HCMV disease was investigated using a 96-well immunoassay. ⋯ ISIS 2922 inhibited HIV replication in acute infection assays at relatively high concentrations as previously reported for non-complementary phosphorothioate oligonucleotides. When ISIS 2922 was used in combination with AZT in this assay, interactions were additive at most concentrations, although significant and reproducible synergy was observed at some concentration combinations.