[Current principles in the chemoprophylaxis of acute respiratory viral infections]

To evaluate the preventive efficacy of the Russian antiviral drug ingavirin (vitaglutam) in the epidemiological foci with the peak incidence of acute respiratory viral infections (ARVI).

Four hundred men and women aged 18 to 65 years from the epidemic foci of ARVI who had been in close daily contact with the patients whose diagnosis was verified by laboratory tests were examined. Two hundred persons received prophylaxis with ingavirin (a 90-mg oral capsule once daily for 7 days) and 200 took placebo according to the same scheme. The efficiency index and coefficient were calculated and the relative risk of the disease was estimated to evaluate the efficiency of ARVI prevention. A pharmacoeconomic analysis was made.

There is evidence that the administration of 90-mg ingavirin capsules (OAO "Valenta Farm", Russia) caused a reduction in morbidity rates among those who had been in contact by 63% and in the risk of ARVI by 2.7 times. There was a reduction in the duration of fever by one day and a milder course of respiratory disease in the ingavirin-treated contact persons who developed ARVI.

Ingavirin meets all requirements for current drugs for the nonspecific prevention of ARVI at the peak of its incidence. It has a pronounced protective effect and broad-spectrum activity, low toxicity and high safety, which allows it to be recommended for the emergency intrafocal prevention at the peak of the incidence of influenza and ARVI in adults.