BACKGROUND AND AIM Current practice guidelines recommend that individuals chronically infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) be treated with pegylated interferon plus ribavirin. Ribavirin, however, is associated with serious adverse events (AE), especially anemia. We review its mechanism of action, its importance in treating chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients, the AE associated with its use,...

We describe a patient with HbE-beta thalassaemia and chronic hepatitis C virus infection (genotype 1a) who was treated successfully with peginterferon alfa-2b and ribavirin, following failure to respond to standard interferon and ribavirin therapy. She had sustained virological response for nearly 24 months after completing peginterferon alfa-2b and ribavirin therapy. Transfusion requirements w...

BACKGROUND On-treatment predictors during antiviral therapy of HCV are useful because they allow discontinuation of an unnecessary treatment in non-responders. Our aim was to evaluate the usefulness of plasma and erythrocyte ribavirin levels in predicting sustained virological response (SVR) in HCV genotype 1 patients undergoing antiviral treatment. METHODS A total of 40 HCV genotype 1 patien...

BACKGROUND/AIMS Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging infectious disease caused by severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV), a novel bunyavirus. As yet, there is no effective antiviral therapy for SFTS. Ribavirin is a broad-spectrum antiviral agent, which has been tried for treatment of SFTS. In this study, antiviral activity of ribavirin against SFT...

BACKGROUND Although modified live virus (MLV) vaccines are commonly used for porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) control, there have been safety concerns due to the quick reversion of MLV to virulence during replication in pigs. Previous studies have demonstrated that mutant viruses emerged from lethal mutagenesis driven by antiviral mutagens and that those viruses had h...

Ribavirin, a nucleic acid analog, has been employed as an antiviral agent against RNA and DNA viruses and has become the standard agent used for chronic hepatitis C in combination with interferon-α2a. Furthermore, the potential antitumor efficacy of ribavirin has attracted increasing interest. Recently, we demonstrated a dose-dependent antitumor effect of ribavirin for seven types of malignant ...

Ribavirin is an antiviral agent used in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection. One of the limitations associated with the use of ribavirin is a reversible anemia caused by its accumulation in erythrocytes. Therefore, it is of interest to determine ribavirin levels in erythrocytes, as well as in plasma, as these measurements may be predictive of hematotoxicity. In the present stud...

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a mucosa-restricted virus that is a leading cause of epidemic respiratory tract infections in children. RSV replication is a potent activator of the epithelial-cell genomic response, influencing the expression of a spectrum of cellular pathways, including proinflammatory chemokines of the CC, CXC, and CX(3)C subclasses. Ribavirin (1-beta-D-ribofuranosyl-1,2,...

Ribavirin (1-β-D-ribofuranosyl-1,2,4-triazole-3-carboxamide) is a water-soluble, guanosine nucleoside analog that mimics other purines, including inosine and adenosine. The current study was designed to assess the embryotoxic effect of ribavirin investigate its teratogenic on placental fetal liver tissues. In this study, 18 pregnant Wistar rats (165–185 g) 11–13 weeks old were orally administra...

Administration of liposome-encapsulated ribavirin to mice led to ribavirin concentrations in the liver, the primary site of Rift Valley fever virus proliferation, that were fivefold greater than those attained with the same doses of free ribavirin. Liposomal ribavirin given at a dose of either 25 or 50 mg of drug per kg of body weight protected mice against a rapidly lethal high-titer challenge...