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Deadly tick-borne virus in mice cured with experimental flu drug
Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 00:13:58|Editor: Mu Xuequan
CHICAGO, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri, have identified an experimental antiviral drug that cures mice infected with tick-borne Bourbon virus.
The drug, favipiravir, is approved in Japan for treatment of influenza.
As influenza virus is a distant cousin of Bourbon virus, the researchers quickly narrowed the list of potential drugs down to favipiravir that inhibits a key protein the virus needs to multiply.
Since Bourbon virus infections are rare, the researchers infected mice with the virus, using a strain of mice with weakened immune systems since healthy mice were able to fight off the virus. All of the immunocompromised mice died six to eight days after they were injected with the virus.
In a separate experiment, the researchers treated infected mice with the flu drug or a placebo for eight days. When the mice were given the antiviral at the same time or within one day of becoming infected with the virus, all survived without becoming visibly ill. In contrast, none of the infected mice that received a placebo survived.
Deadly tick-borne virus in mice cured with experimental flu drug
Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 00:13:58|Editor: Mu Xuequan
CHICAGO, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri, have identified an experimental antiviral drug that cures mice infected with tick-borne Bourbon virus.
The drug, favipiravir, is approved in Japan for treatment of influenza.
As influenza virus is a distant cousin of Bourbon virus, the researchers quickly narrowed the list of potential drugs down to favipiravir that inhibits a key protein the virus needs to multiply.
Since Bourbon virus infections are rare, the researchers infected mice with the virus, using a strain of mice with weakened immune systems since healthy mice were able to fight off the virus. All of the immunocompromised mice died six to eight days after they were injected with the virus.
In a separate experiment, the researchers treated infected mice with the flu drug or a placebo for eight days. When the mice were given the antiviral at the same time or within one day of becoming infected with the virus, all survived without becoming visibly ill. In contrast, none of the infected mice that received a placebo survived.