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Poly(I)-poly(C12U) but not ribavirin prevents death in a hamster model of Nipah virus infection
M C Georges-Courbot1, H Contamin, C Faure
1Unité de Biologie des infections virales émergentes, Institut Pasteur, Laboratoire P4, Jean Mérieux Inserm, Institut Fédératif de Recherche 128-Biosciences Lyon Gerland, 21 Avenue Tony Garnier, 69365 Lyon, France. mgeorges@cervi-lyon.inserm.fr
Abstract:
Clinical nonrandomized trials demonstrate some efficacy for ribavirin in the treatment of patients with severe Nipah virus-induced encephalitis. We report here that EICAR, the 5-ethynyl analogue of ribavirin, and the OMP-decarboxylase inhibitors 6-aza-uridine and pyrazofurin have strong antiviral activity against Nipah virus replication in vitro. Ribavirin and 6-aza-uridine were tested further in hamsters infected with a lethal dose of Nipah virus. The activity of these small-molecule inhibitors was compared with that of the interferon inducer poly(I)-poly(C(12)U). Both ribavirin and 6-aza-uridine were able to delay but not prevent Nipah virus-induced mortality. Poly(I)-poly(C(12)U), at 3 mg/kg of body weight daily from the day of infection to 10 days postinfection, prevented mortality in 5 of 6 infected animals.
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