acyclovir and Respiratory-Syncytial-Virus-Infections

Several antiviral agents are available to treat viral illnesses in healthy children. In some children, treatment with acyclovir is an alternative to vaccination for the treatment and prevention of chickenpox. Acyclovir also can be useful in the treatment or prevention of herpes simplex infections in neonates. Ribavirin, once recommended as routine therapy for high-risk infants with respiratory syncytial virus disease, is now reserved for use in selected children. Amantadine and rimantidine are effective against influenza type A and can be used to protect children from influenza, as well as to lessen the duration and severity of illness in those who are already ill.

Topics: Acyclovir; Amantadine; Antiviral Agents; Chickenpox; Child; Child, Preschool; Drug Administration Schedule; Herpes Simplex; Humans; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections; Ribavirin; Rimantadine; Virus Diseases

Thanks to a simplification of surgical techniques, single or double lung transplants have expanded significantly in latter years. Infection remains an important cause for morbidity and mortality, more so in early rather than late stages. Bacterial infections cause approximately fifty per cent of all infections. They can be prevented in part by prophylaxis. Infections to CMV have become less frequent thanks to adequate prophylaxis with ganciclovir. Herpetic infections are prevented by acyclovir or ganciclovir. A better control of immunosuppression seems to be associated with fewer lymphoproliferative disorders secondary to the Epstein-Barr virus. Respiratory viruses remain a serious threat for these patients, although infections due to respiratory syncitial virus may be attenuated by ribavirine. Fungal infections are dangerous but prophylactic prescription of azole derivatives have reduced the incidence and severity. Prophylaxis of infections to Pneumocystis carinii is essential, the use of sulfamethoxazole trimethoprim is efficacious against this as well as nocardiosis. Infections to Mycobacterium tuberculosis are often atypical and should be looked for and anticipated whenever possible.

Topics: Acyclovir; Antibiotic Prophylaxis; Antifungal Agents; Antiviral Agents; Bacterial Infections; Chemoprevention; Cytomegalovirus Infections; Ganciclovir; Graft Survival; Heart-Lung Transplantation; Herpesviridae Infections; Herpesvirus 4, Human; Humans; Immunosuppression Therapy; Lung Transplantation; Lymphoproliferative Disorders; Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous; Nocardia Infections; Pneumonia, Pneumocystis; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections; Ribavirin; Survival Rate; Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary; Tumor Virus Infections; Virus Diseases

New sources for discovering novel antiviral agents are desperately needed. The current antiviral products are both expensive and not very effective.. The antiviral activity of methanol extract of mung bean sprouts (MBS), compared to Ribavarin and Acyclovir, on respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and Herpes Simplex virus -1 (HSV-1) was investigated using cytotoxicity, virus yield reduction, virucidal activity, and prophylactic activity assays on Vero and MRC-5 cell lines. Moreover, the level of antiviral cytokines, IFNβ, TNFα, IL-1, and IL-6 was assessed in MBS-treated, virally infected, virally infected MBS-treated, and control groups of MRC-5 cells using ELISA.. MBS extract showed reduction factors (RF) 2.2 × 10 and 0.5 × 10(2) for RSV and HSV-1, respectively. The 2 h incubation virucidal and prophylactic selectivity indices (SI) of MBS on RSV were 14.18 and 12.82 versus Ribavarin SI of 23.39 and 21.95, respectively, and on HSV-1, SI were 18.23 and 10.9 versus Acyclovir, 22.56 and 15.04, respectively. All SI values were >10 indicating that MBS has a good direct antiviral and prophylactic activities on both RSV and HSV-1. Moreover, interestingly, MBS extract induced vigorously IFNβ, TNFα, IL-1, and IL-6 cytokines in MRC-5 infected-treated group far more than other groups (P < 0.05) and induced TNFα and IL-6 in treated group more than infected group (P < 0.05).. MBS extract has potent antiviral and to a lesser extent, prophylactic activities against both RSV and HSV-1, and in case of HSV-1, these activities were comparable to Acyclovir. Part of the underlying mechanism(s) of these activities is attributed to MBS potential to remarkably induce antiviral cytokines in human cells. Hence, we infer that MBS methanol extract could be used as such or as purified active component in protecting and treating RSV and HSV-1 infections. More studies are needed to pinpoint the exact active components responsible for the MBS antiviral activities.

Topics: Acyclovir; Animals; Antiviral Agents; Chlorocebus aethiops; Cytokines; Fabaceae; Herpes Simplex; Herpesvirus 1, Human; Humans; In Vitro Techniques; Phytotherapy; Plant Extracts; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections; Respiratory Syncytial Viruses; Simplexvirus; Vero Cells