Respiratory virus infection

Respiratory virus infections (respiratory syncitial virus [RSV], parainfuenza viruses, influenza viruses and adenoviruses) are all highly contagious and symptomatic individuals should be isolated before virologic confirmation is available. To prevent progression of RSV from the upper to the lower respiratory tract, aerosolized ribavirin may be used alone or in combination with RSV-specific antibodies or palivizumab, an RSV-specific monoclonal antibody (Boeckh et al., 2001). 

Ljungman P (1997) Respiratory virus infections in bone marrow transplant recipients, the European perspective. Am J Med 102 44 -7... 

Glezen WP, Greenberg SB, Atmar RL et al. Impact of respiratory virus infections on persons with chronic underlying conditions. Jama 2000 283(4) 499-505. 

Englund JA, Piedra PA, Ahn YM, Gilbert BE, Hiatt P. High-dose, short duration ribavirin aerosol therapy compared with standard ribavirin therapy in children with suspected respiratory virus infection. J Pediatr 1994 125 635-641. 

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a severe lower respiratory tract infection... 

Virus infections such as influenza and the common cold (in reality 300-400 different strains ofrhinovirus) infect epithelial cells ofthe respiratory tract and nasopharynx, respectively. Release ofthe virus, after lysis ofthe host cells, is to the void rather than to subepithelial tissues. The epithelia is further infected resulting in general degeneration ofthe tracts. Such damage predisposes the respiratory tract to infection with opportunistic pathogens such as Neisseria meningitidis and Haemophilus influenzae. 

The adamantane moiety is of medicinal chemical interest because of its inertness, compactness relative to lipid solubilizing character, and symmetry. Considerable interest, therefore, was engendered by the finding that amantadine (78) was active for the chemoprophylaxis of influenza A in man. There are not many useful chemotherapeutic agents available for the treatment of communicable viral infections, so this finding led to considerable molecular manipulation. The recent abrupt end of the National Influenza Immunization program of 1976 prompted a new look at the nonvaccine means for prophylaxis or treatment of respiratory tract infections due to influenza A, especially in that the well-known antigenic shift or drift of the virus obviates usefulness of the vaccine but not amantadine. 

Considerable data is available suggesting thatmild-to-moderate immunosuppression can lead to an increase in infectious disease. The types of infections that occur tend to result from either common pathogens (e.g., causing upper respiratory tract infections) or latent viruses (e.g., herpes cold sores), rather than opportunistic organisms such as Pnuemocyctis carinii. These are usually not life-threatening, except in certain susceptible populations, such as the elderly. Opportunistic infections, in contrast, are more prevalent in individuals where severe forms of immunosuppression are present, such as primary immunodeficiency diseases or HIV/AIDS. 

Antiviral antibodies Preventing respiratory syncytial virus infections in premature infants Synagis... 

Severe lower respiratory tract infections - Treatment of hospitalized infants and young children with severe lower respiratory tract infections caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). 

Donelly, B. 1. (1996). Vitamin A and respiratory syncytial virus infection. Arch. Pediatr. Adolesc. Med. 150, 882-892. 

Ribavirin can inhibit the replication of both RNA and DNA viruses. It is a nucleoside analog which blocks guanosine monophosphate by inhibiting the enzyme inosine monodehydrogenase. Its main indication is severe respiratory syncytial virus infections in infants but it has also shown activity against influenza A and influenza B infections. It is administered by aerosol spray. No serious adverse effects occur when used as aerosol. 

H.A. Haeberle, F. Nesti, H.J. Dieterich, Z. Gatalica, R.P. Garofalo, Perflubron reduces lung inflammation in respiratory syncytial virus infection by inhibiting chemokine expression and nuclear factor-kappaB activation, Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. 165 (2002) 1433-1438. 

Sudden infant death syndrome. Water-soluble smoke extract, in cell culture supernatants of mouse fibroblasts (L-929 cell line), produced an increase in TNF-a from respiratory syncytial virus-infected cells. It decreased TNF-a from cells incubated with toxic shock syndrome toxin. Incubation with cigarette smoke extract decreased the NO production from respiratory syncytial virus-infected cells and increased the NO production from cells incubated with toxic shock syndrome toxin. Monocytes from a minority of individuals demonstrated extreme TNF-a responses and/or very high or very low NO. The proportion of samples in which extreme responses with a very high TNF-a and very low NO were detected was increased in the presence of the three agents to 20% compared with 0% observed with toxic shock syndrome toxin. One to 4% was observed with cigarette smoke extract or respiratory syncytial virus L Symphatomimetic activity. Water extract of the dried leaf, administered intravenously to cats at doses of 0.05 and 10-20 mg/kg. 

Prevention of serious lower respiratory tract infection caused by respiratory syncytial virus in children less than 24 months of age with bronchopulmonary dysplasia or a history of prematurity (less than or equal to 35 weeks gestation)... 

Tempest, P.R., Bremner, P., Lambert, M., et al. (1991). Reshaping a human monoclonal-antibody to inhibit human respiratory syncytial virus-infection in vivo. Bio-Technol., 9, 266-271. 

Palase P, Schulman JL. Inhibitors of viral neuraminidase as potential antiviral drugs. In Chemoprophylaxis and virus infections of the upper respiratory tract, vol. 1. Boca Raton, Florida CRC Press, 1977 189-205. 

Such adjuvant therapy should be performed for several months after grass or tree pollen exposure and perennially for mite allergy patients nevertheless, clinical symptoms disappear after mattress and pillow encasing measures. It should be initiated before immunotherapy as well as be continued during immunotherapy, when therapy-related side effects or allergy-related symptoms appear or virus infections of the respiratory tract occur [16, 17],... 

Paramyxoviridae Measles virus Mumps virus Respiratory syncytial virus Measles virus Mumps Respiratory tract infection in children... 

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