The Mechanism of Action of Ribavirin on Bunyavirus Infected Cells

Abstract

Ribavirin (1-B-D-ribofuranosyl-1-1,2,4-triazole-3-carboxamide) or Virazole is a broad-spectrum antiviral agent whose molecular mode of action remains remarkably controversial. The drug was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1986 for aerosol use in infants with serious infections due to respiratory syncytial virus (RS). Ribavirin is and has been under clinical investigation against a variety of viral illness, including those due to influenza virus, Lassa fever, Korean hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (KHFS) and Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). There has been a great deal of clinical interest in utilizing ribavirin for HIV infections. It has been reported to slow the development of AIDS in HIV infected patients (McCormick et al., 1984). We describe here the reported mechanisms of action of this newly licensed drug. (jg)

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 03, 1989
Accession Number
ADA218936

Entities

People

  • Jean L. Patterson

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Antiviral Agents
  • Classification
  • Dna Viruses
  • Encephalitis
  • Equine Encephalitis
  • Health Services
  • Hiv Infections
  • Infection
  • Mouth Diseases
  • Nucleic Acids
  • Ribonucleic Acids
  • Rna Viruses
  • Security
  • Translations
  • Virion
  • Viruses

Fields of Study

  • Medicine

Readers

  • Infectious Disease/Epidemiology
  • Theoretical Analysis.
  • Virology (or Medical Virology).