Antiviral therapy
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Indomethacin has a potent antiviral activity against SARS coronavirus.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a newly emerging, highly transmissible and fatal disease caused by a previously unknown coronavirus (SARS-CoV). Existing in non-identified animal reservoirs, SARS-CoV continues to represent a threat to humans because there is no effective specific antiviral therapy for coronavirus infections. ⋯ The results identify INDO as a potent inhibitor of coronavirus replication and suggest that, having both anti-inflammatory and antiviral activity, INDO could be beneficial in SARS therapy.
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The CCR5delta32 mutation is associated with slower HIV disease progression in untreated infection. However, it remains controversial as to whether CCR5delta32 is a relevant prognostic marker in the context of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Here we investigate associations between CCR5delta32 and HAART outcomes in a large, population-based cohort of >1000 antiretroviral-naive individuals initiating triple therapy over a median >5 year follow-up. ⋯ Results indicate that, after controlling for adherence, the CCR5delta32 mutation is likely not a clinically significant predictor of longer-term clinical responses or survival in the context of HAART.
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Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Similar reduction of cytomegalovirus DNA load by oral valganciclovir and intravenous ganciclovir on pre-emptive therapy after renal and renal-pancreas transplantation.
Pre-emptive treatment of CMV infection in transplant recipients aims at prevention of clinical disease by early detection. However, current treatment requires the intravenous (iv) administration of ganciclovir for 2 weeks, which is a considerable burden for the patient. In this observational study, the efficacy of the new oral prodrug valganciclovir was compared with iv ganciclovir. ⋯ Similar reduction of CMV DNA load was observed during pre-emptive treatment with oral valganciclovir and iv ganciclovir in transplant recipients. Oral valganciclovir would provide an attractive and safe alternative for pre-emptive CMV treatment in renal/renal-pancreas transplant patients, however, confirmation in larger randomized studies would be desirable.
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There is currently an urgent need to identify effective antiviral agents that will prevent and treat severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) infection. In this study, we have investigated and compared the antiviral effect of different interferons (IFNs) on SARS-CoV replication in the epithelial kidney monkey Vero cell line. ⋯ The IFN-induced MxA protein was detected in the IFN-treated Vero cells. The data, however, suggest that the antiviral activity of IFN against SARS-CoV virus is independent of MxA expression.
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Although mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) depletion could play a role in nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor-induced lipoatrophy, poor correlations between fat mtDNA levels and lipoatrophy suggest additional mechanism(s). Stavudine (d4T), zidovudine (AZT) and the thymine catabolite, beta-aminoisobutyric acid (BAIBA), but not zalcitabine (ddC) or didanosine (ddI), can increase fatty acid oxidation in liver mitochondria and plasma ketone bodies in mice. Since fat oxidation in non-adipose tissue can influence body adiposity, we sought to determine whether d4T, AZT and BAIBA can cause lipoatrophy in mice by this catabolic mechanism. ⋯ d4T and AZT can enhance hepatic fat oxidation and cause fat wasting, without decreasing adipose tissue mtDNA and without causing insulin resistance in mice. BAIBA, a thymine catabolite, reproduces these effects. These catabolic effects could play a role in the lipoatrophy, which can occur in AZT- or d4T-treated patients.