Inhibition of SARS Coronavirus Infection In Vitro with Clinically Approved Antiviral Drugs
subject: antiviral, in vitro, antivirals, Antiviral Agents, agents, antiviral drugs
description: Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is an infectious disease caused by a newly identified human coronavirus (SARS-CoV). Currently, no effective drug exists to treat SARS-CoV infection. In this study, we investigated whether a panel of commercially available antiviral drugs exhibit in vitro anti–SARS-CoV activity. A drug-screening assay that scores for virus-induced cytopathic effects on cultured cells was used. Tested were 19 clinically approved compounds from several major antiviral pharmacologic classes: nucleoside analogs, interferons, protease inhibitors, reverse transcriptase inhibitors, and neuraminidase inhibitors. Complete inhibition of cytopathic effects of SARS-CoV in culture was observed for interferon subtypes, β-1b, α-n1, α-n3, and human leukocyte interferon α. These findings support clinical testing of approved interferons for the treatment of SARS.
creator: Lawrence W. Stanton, Bing Lim, Eng Eong Ooi, Ai Ee Ling, Hwee Cheng Tan, Chin-Yo Lin, Emily L.C. Tan
source: Emerging Infectious Diseases
publisher: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
date: 2004
identifier: DOI: 10.3201/eid1004.030458
coverage: Infectious and parasitic diseases, Medicine