Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2plfb Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T22:46:48.295Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Clinical Review of Ribavirin

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Mark Eggleston
Mark Eggleston*
Affiliation:
College of Pharmacy, Howard University, Washington, DC
*
PO Box 115, Woodbridge, VA 22191
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The recent approval of ribavirin aerosol for the treatment of severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in infants and young children is a significant addition to the antiviral drugs available today. When administered as an aerosolized form by face mask or mist tent for 20 to 21 hours per day, ribavirin effectively decreases the symptoms of RSV infection and the shedding of RSV virus.

Studies of other viral infections such as viral hepatitis, influenza A and B, Lassa fever, genital herpes, and herpes zoster have demonstrated promising, but inconclusive results. Further studies are needed to justify ribavirin therapy for these indications.

Type
Special Sections
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 8 , Issue 5 , May 1987 , pp. 215 - 218
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 1987

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.Chanock, RM, Parrott, RH: Acute respiratory disease in infancy and childhood: Present understanding and prospects for prevention. Pediatrics 1965; 36:21–39.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2.Parrott, RH, Kim, HW, Brandt, CD, et al: Respiratory syncytial virus in infants and children. Prev Med 1974; 3:473–480.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3.Glezen, WP, Denny, FW: Epidemiology of acute lower respiratory disease in children. N Engl J Med 1973; 288:498–505.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4.Henderson, FW, Collier, AM, Clyde, WA Jr, et al: Respiratory-syncytial-virus infections, reinfections and immunity: A prospective longitudinal study in young children. N Engl J Med 1979; 300:530–534.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5.Witkowski, JT, Robins, RK, Sidwell, RW: 1,2,4-triazole nucleosides: Synthesis and broad spectrum antiviral activity. Presented at the 163rd Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Boston, MA, April 1972.Google ScholarPubMed
6.Sidwell, RW, Huffman, JH, Khare, GP. et al: Broad spectrum antiviral activity of virazole: l-beta-d-ribofuranosyl-l,2,4-triazole-3-carboxamide. Science 1972; 177:705–706.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7.Canonico, PG, Kinda, M, Luscri, Bj, et al: In vivo activity of antivirals against exotic RNA viral infection. Antimicrob Chemother 1984; 14(suppl A):27–41.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
8.Streeter, DG, Witkowski, TJ, Khare, GP, et al: Mechanism of action of 1-beta-d-ribofuranosyl-l,2,4-triazole-3-carboxamide (Virazole), a new broad spectrum antiviral agent. Proc Natl Acad Sa USA 1973; 70:1174–1179.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
9.McCormick, JB, Getchell, JP, Mitchell, SW, et al: Ribavirin suppresses replication of lymphadenopathy-associated virus in cultures of human T-lympho-cytes. Lancet 1984; 2:1367–1369.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
10.Chang, T, Heel, RC: Ribavirin and inosiplex: A review of their present status in viral diseases. Drugs 1981; 22:111–128.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11.Patterson, ARP: Ribavirin. Ann NY Acad Sci 1975; 255:402.Google Scholar
12.Miller, JP, Streeter, DG, Robins, RK, et al: The relationship between the metabolism of ribavirin and its proposed mechanism of action. Ann NY Acad Sci 1977; 284:211–229.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
13.Sidwell, RW, Robins, RK, Hillgard, IW: Ribavirin: An antiviral agent. Pharmacol Ther 1979; 6:123–146.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
14.Catlin, DH, Smith, RA, Samuels, AI: 14C-Ribavirin: Distribution and pharmacokinetic studies in rats, baboons, and man, in Smith, RA, Kirkpatrick, W (eds): Ribavirin: A Broad Spectrum Antiviral Agent. New York, Academic Press, 1980, pp 83–98.Google Scholar
15.Goswami, B, Borek, E, Sharma, O, et al: The broad spectrum antiviral agent ribavirin inhibits capping of mRNA. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 1979; 89:830.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
16. ICN Pharmaceuticals: Virazole Product Monograph. Costa Mesa, CA, January 1986.Google Scholar
17.McCormick, JB, King, IJ, Webb, P, et al: Lassa fever. Effective therapy with ribavirin. N Engl J Med 1986; 314:20–26.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
18.Smith, CB, Charette, RP, Fox, JP, et al: Lack of effect of oral ribavirin in naturally occurring influenza A virus (H1N1) infection. J Infect Dis 1980; 141:548–551.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
19.Togo, Y, McCracken, EA: Double-blind clinical assessment of ribavirin (virazole) in the prevention of induced infection with type B influenza virus. J Infect Dis 1976; (suppl A):109–113.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
20.Cohen, A, Togo, Y, Kaakoo, R, et al: Comparative clinical and laboratory evaluation of the prophylactic capacity of ribavirin, amantidine hydrochloride and placebo in induced human influenza type A. J Infect Dis 1976; 133(suppl A):114–120.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
21.Smith, CB, Charette, RP: Double-blind evaluation of ribavirin in naturally occurring influenza, in Smith, RA, Kirkpatrick, W (eds): Ribavirin: A Broad Spectrum Antiviral Agent. New York, Academic Press, 1980, pp 147–164.Google Scholar
22.Allen, LB: Review of in vivo efficacy of ribavirin, in Smith, RA, Kirkpatrick, W (eds): Ribavirin: A Broad Spectrum Antiviral Agent. New York, Academic Press, 1980, pp 43–58.Google Scholar
23.Bierman, SM, Kirkpatrick, W, Fernandez, H: Clinical efficacy of ribavirin in the treatment of genital herpes simplex virus infection. Chemotherapy 1981; 27:139–145.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
24.Fernandez, H: Ribavirin: A summary of clinical trials—Herpes genitalis and measles, in Smith, RA, Kirkpatrick, W (eds): Ribavirin: A Broad Spectrum Antiviral Agent. New York, Academic Press, 1980, pp 215–230.Google Scholar
25.Gilbert, BE, Wilson, SZ, Knight, V, et al: Ribavirin small-particle aerosol treatment of infections caused by influenza virus strains A/Victoria/7/83 (H1N1) and B/Texas/1/84. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 1985; 27:309–313.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
26.Wilson, SZ, Gilbert, BE, Quarues, JM, et al: Treatment of influenza A(H1N1) virus infection with ribavirin aerosol. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 1984; 26:200–203.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
27.McClung, HW, Knight, V, Gilbert, BE, et al: Ribavirin aerosol treatment of influenza B virus infection. JAMA 1983; 249:2671–2674.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
28.Knight, V, McClung, HW, Wilson, SZ, et al: Ribavirin small-particle aerosol treatment of influenza. Lancet 1981; 2:945–949.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
29.Hall, CB, McBride, JT, Gala, CL, et al: Ribavirin treatment of respiratory syncytial virus infection in infants with underlying cardiopulmonary disease. JAMA 1985; 254:3047–3051.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
30.Hall, CB, McBride, JT, Walsh, EE, et al: Aerosolized ribavirin treatment of infants with respiratory syncytial virus infection. N Engl J Med 1983; 308:1443–1447.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
31.Taber, LH, Knight, V, Gilbert, BE, et al: Ribavirin aerosol treatment of bronchiolitis associated with respiratory syncytial virus infections in infants. Pediatrics 1983; 72:613–618.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
32.Cohen, A: Chronic, oral administration of ribavirin in healthy adult male volunteers. Peninsular Testing Corp, North Miami, FL.Google Scholar
33.Shulman, NR: Assessment of hematologic effects of ribavirin in humans, in Smith, RA, Knight, V, Smith, JAD (eds): The Clinical Applications of Ribavirin. New York, Academic Press, 1984.Google Scholar
34.Canonico, PG, Kastello, MD, Spears, TC, et al: Effects of ribavirin on red blood cells. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 1984; 74:155–162.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed