Ribavirin treatment of experimental respiratory syncytial viral infection. A controlled double-blind study in young adults
C. B. Hall, E. E. Walsh, J. F. Hruska, R. F. Betts and W. J. Hall
The effect of ribavirin aerosol on experimental respiratory syncytial virus
(RSV) infection was evaluated in a double-blind controlled study of 16
young adult volunteers. Two days after intranasal inoculation with RSV,
half of the subjects were treated with a small-particle aerosol of
ribavirin and half with placebo for a total of 12 hours each day for three
days. Seven of eight placebo-treated and six of eight ribavirin-treated
subjects became infected. Viral shedding was diminished in the
ribavirin-treated group. The proportion of infected volunteers still
shedding virus on days 6 through 9 was significantly less than in the
placebo-treated group. Ribavirin appeared to have no effect on minor upper
respiratory tract signs, but systemic complaints and fever occurred
significantly less often in the ribavirin-treated group. Ribavirin aerosol
therapy was well tolerated and produced no significant changes in pulmonary
function test results or signs of toxicity. This suggests that such therapy
might be further evaluated in infants with RSV lower respiratory tract
disease.
