Treatment of influenza A (H1N1) virus infection with ribavirin aerosol

Abstract

In a randomized, controlled study of ribavirin aerosol treatment of influenza A(H1N1) virus infection among college students, treated patients had a significantly shorter duration of fever than control patients. There was a trend of more rapid recovery in treated patients. Virus shedding was similar in treated and control patients, declining gradually from a 50% tissue culture infective dose of 3.5 log10 per ml at admission to 1.8 log10 per ml at 53 h after admission. There was no local or systemic intolerance and no hematological or biochemical abnormalities associated with ribavirin treatment.

Common community respiratory viruses in patients with cancer

“…59 -60 Several small, uncontrolled studies, primarily ones involving healthy adult patients with uncomplicated influenza A and B infections, have reported some therapeutic benefit when ribavirin is administered via aerosol for Ͼ 12 hours per day, especially if treatment is initiated early (i.e., before the onset of respiratory failure). [61][62][63] The idea of combination antiviral therapy for treatment of severe influenza infections also has been proposed but has not been explored in any controlled trials. Compared with single agents, combinations of ribavirin with amantadine or rimantadine showed enhanced antiviral activity in vitro and in animal models of influenza A infection.…”

Antiviral activities of ribavirin, 5-ethynyl-1-beta-D-ribofuranosylimidazole-4-carboxamide, and 6'-(R)-6'-C-methylneplanocin A against several ortho- and paramyxoviruses

“…Inhalation of aerosolized ribavirin by infants with RSV pneumonia or college students with influenza A leads to an improvement of the clinical symptoms in these patients (7,19,20). The mechanism of action of ribavirin and its metabolism by cells have been investigated (5,6,17,18,21); the main targets for the antiviral action of ribavirin and its phosphorylated form appear to be IMP dehydrogenase, viral mRNA cap formation, and viral RNA transcriptase or polymerase.…”

Antiviral therapy: current concepts and practices

“…In college students with uncomplicated influenza, aerosol ribavirin reduced the duration of fever and symptoms and decreased viral shedding (239,291,513). This has not been true of all trials and for all influenza variants, however (33,167).…”