August 1999

The efficacy of an inactivated vaccine has been shown for many years. However, recently, researchers have begun examining the possibility of using a live attenuated vaccine. Researchers have compared the IgA response to A/H1N1. A/H3N2, and B strains in children (age 15-55 months) who received the vaccine versus those who didn’t. They found that the immunized children were 4.5 times more likely to develop an immune response than children who received a placebo.

Reference

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/htbin-post/Entrez/query?uid=10501238&form=6&db=m&Dopt=b


September 1999

In addition to the recently approval of neuraminidase inhibitors as antiviral agents, PM-523 is another antiviral agent which acts by preventing the fusio between the vial envelope and the cell membrane. As a result, the virus is unable to infect the cells. The preliminary results on this drug are also very promising.

Reference

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/htbin-post/Entrez/query?uid=10641217&form=6&db=m&Dopt=b

December 1999

A new class of antiviral drugs have been approved by the FDA which act as neuraminidase inhibitors: Zanamivir and oseltamivir. Both these drugs can be used to target type A and type B, whereas the previously developed drugs that targeted unfolding were limited to effects in type A.

Reference

http://www.cdc.gov/epo/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr4814a1.htm



January 2000

By targeting the same neuraminidase in the influenza virus using a reactive chromogenic substrate, researchers have developed the ZstatFlu (ZymeTx) which is a rapid means of determining influenza A or B infection. Current trials show that there is a very high specificity and rarely provided a false positive relative to traditional cell culture determination. This test can potentially allow patients to begin the appropriate antiviral treatment much sooner.

Reference

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/htbin-post/Entrez/query?uid=10695289&form=6&db=m&Dopt=b


February 2000

Cocaine has been previously shown to result in inhibit the replication of murine hepatitis virus. Researchers now know that mice, given daily injections of 10 mg/kg cocaine before and after influenza infection, demonstrated a 50% reduction in the amount of virus in their lungs relative to controls. This may lead the path to new types of antiviral treatments.

Reference

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/htbin-post/Entrez/query?uid=10641217&form=6&db=m&Dopt=b