Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-25T05:47:42.307Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A study of intranasally administered interferon A* (rIFN-α2A) for the seasonal prophylaxis of natural viral infections of the upper respiratory tract in healthy volunteers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2009

G. A Tannock ,
S. M Gillett ,
R. S Gillett ,
R. D Barry ,
M. J Hensley ,
R. Herd ,
A. L. A Reid  and
N. A. Saunders
G. A Tannock
Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine, The University of Newcastle, David Maddison Clinical Sciences Building, Royal Newcastle Hospital, Newcastle, New South Wales, 2300, Australia
S. M Gillett
Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine, The University of Newcastle, David Maddison Clinical Sciences Building, Royal Newcastle Hospital, Newcastle, New South Wales, 2300, Australia
R. S Gillett
Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine, The University of Newcastle, David Maddison Clinical Sciences Building, Royal Newcastle Hospital, Newcastle, New South Wales, 2300, Australia
R. D Barry
Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine, The University of Newcastle, David Maddison Clinical Sciences Building, Royal Newcastle Hospital, Newcastle, New South Wales, 2300, Australia
M. J Hensley
Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine, The University of Newcastle, David Maddison Clinical Sciences Building, Royal Newcastle Hospital, Newcastle, New South Wales, 2300, Australia
R. Herd
Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine, The University of Newcastle, David Maddison Clinical Sciences Building, Royal Newcastle Hospital, Newcastle, New South Wales, 2300, Australia
A. L. A Reid
Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine, The University of Newcastle, David Maddison Clinical Sciences Building, Royal Newcastle Hospital, Newcastle, New South Wales, 2300, Australia
N. A. Saunders
Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine, The University of Newcastle, David Maddison Clinical Sciences Building, Royal Newcastle Hospital, Newcastle, New South Wales, 2300, Australia
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

The efficacy of interferon A (rIFN-α2A), an Escherichia coli-derived interferon, in the prophylaxis of acute upper respiratory tract infection, was evaluated in a community-based double-blind placebo-controlled study in the Australian winter of 1985. The trial population of 412 healthy volunteers (190 males and 222 females, aged 18–65 years) self-administered 1·5, 3·0 and 6·0 megaunits (MU) of interferon A per day or a placebo, intranasally for 28 days.

The period of study coincided with an outbreak of H3N2 influenza A (detected in 35 of the 107 acute specimens) as well as substantial numbers of respiratory syncytial virus and adenovirus infections. Rhinoviruses were isolated from only three specimens. In many cases, subjects had laboratory and clinical evidence of having had more than one respiratory tract infection during the period of the study. Viruses were detected in 54 or 107 acute specimens (49%).

No statistically significant differences were noted between the various treatment groups in the incidence of laboratory-proven viral infection (virus isolation and/or antibody response). Analysis of reported symptoms indicated that blood-tinged mucus and nasal stuffiness occurred more frequently with higher doses of interferon. There appeared to be no clinical benefit from the use of interferon A in the amelioration of symptoms.

Type
Research Article
Information
Epidemiology & Infection , Volume 101 , Issue 3 , December 1988 , pp. 611 - 621
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1988

References

REFERENCES

Armitage, P. & Berry, G. (1977). Statical Methods in Medical Research 2nd edn., pp. 456–468. Oxford: Blackwell Scientific Publications.Google Scholar
Burke, D. C. (1985). The interferons. British Medical Bulletin 41, 333–338.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Coulton, T. (1974). Statistics in Medicine, pp. 204–206. Boston: Little Brown & Company (Inc.)Google Scholar
Dixon, W. J., Brown, M. B., Engelman, L., Frane, J. W., Hill, M. A., Jennrich, R. I. & Toporek, J. D. (1985). BMDP statistical software, 1985 printing, pp. 437–446. Berkeley: University of California Press.Google Scholar
Douglas, R. M., Albrecht, J. K., Miles, H. B., Moore, B. W., Read, R., Worswick, D. A. & Woodward, A. J. (1985). Intranasal interferon-a2 prophylaxis of natural respiratory infection Journal of Infectious Diseases 151, 731–736.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Douglas, R. M., Moore, B. W., Miles, H. B., Davies, L. M., Graham, N. H. M., Ryan, P., Worswick, D. A. & Albrecht, J. K. (1986). Prophylactic efficacy of intranasal alpha2– interferon against rhinovirus infections in the family setting. New England Journal Medicine 314, 65–70.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Farr, B. M., Gwaltney, J. M., JR., Adams K. F. & Hayden, F. G. (1984). Intranasal interferon-a2 for prevention of natural rhinovirus colds. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 26, 31–34.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Greenberg, S. B., Harmon, M. W., Johnson, P. E. & Couch, R. B. (1978). Antiviral activity of intranasally applied human leukocyte interferon. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 14. 596–600.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hayden, F. G., Gwaltney, J. M. Jr & Johns, M. E. (1985). Prophylactic efficacy and tolerance of low-dose intra nasal interferon-alpha2 in natural respiratory viral infections. Antiviral Research 5, 111–116.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hayden, F. G., Albrecht, J. K., Kaiser, D. L. & Gwaltney, J. M. Jr, (1986). Prevention of natural colds by contact prophylaxis with intranasal alpha2–interferon. New England Journal of Medicine 314, 71–75.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hayden, F. G. & Gwaltney, J. M. Jr (1983). Intranasal interferon for prevention of rhinovirus infection and illness. The Journal of Infectious Diseases 148, 543–550.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Herzog, C., Berger, M., Fernex, M., Friesecke, K., Havas, L., Just, M. & Dubach, U. C. (1986). Intranasal interferon (IFN-aA, Ro 22–8185) for contact prophylaxis against common cold: a randomized, double blind and placebo-controlled field study. Antiviral Research 6, 171–176.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Merigan, T C., Reed, S. E., Hall, T. S. & Tyrrell, D. A. J. (1973). Inhibition of respiratory virus infection by locally applied interferon. Lancet i, 563–567.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Monto, A. S., Shope, T. C., Schwartz, S. A. & Albrecht, J. K. (1986). Intranasal interferon for seasonal prophylaxis of respiratory infection. The Journal of Infectious Diseases 154, 128–133.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nelder, J. A. & Wedderburn, R. W. M. (1972). Generalised linear models. Journal of the Royal Statistical Society A 135, 370–384.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Philpotts, R. J. & Tyrrell, D. A. J. (1985). Rhinovirus colds. British Medical Bulletin 41, 386–390.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Samo, T. C., Greenberg, S. B., Palmer, J. M., Couch, R. B., Harmon, M. W. & Johnson, P. E. (1984). Intranasally applied recombinant leukocyte A interferon in normal volunteers. II. Determination of minimal effective and tolerable dose. The Journal of Infectious Diseases 150, 181–188.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Scott, G. M., Phillpotts, R. J., Wallace, J., Gauci, C. L., Greiner, J. & Tyrrell, D. A. J. (1982). Prevention of rhinovirus colds by human interferon alpha–2 from Escherichia coli, Lancet ii, 186–188.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zarr, J. H. (1974). Biostatistical Analysis, p. 221. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.Google Scholar