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. 2003 Jul 26;362(9380):293-4.
doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(03)13973-6.

Treatment of SARS with human interferons

J Cinatl  1 , B Morgenstern, G Bauer, P Chandra, H Rabenau, H W Doerr
Affiliations

Treatment of SARS with human interferons

J Cinatl et al. Lancet. .

Erratum in

  • Lancet. 2003 Aug 30;362(9385):748

Abstract

Effective antiviral agents are needed to treat severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) infection. We assessed the antiviral potential of recombinant interferons against two clinical isolates of SARS-CoV--FFM-1, from Frankfurt patients, and Hong Kong--replicated in Vero and Caco2 cells. Interferon beta was five to ten times more effective in Caco2 cells. Interferon alpha effectively inhibited SARS-CoV replication, but with a selectivity index 50-90 times lower than that for interferon beta. Interferon gamma was slightly better than interferon alpha in Vero cell cultures, but was completely ineffective in Caco2 cell cultures. Interferon beta could be useful alone or in combination with other antiviral drugs for the treatment of SARS.

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Figures

Figure
Figure
Effect of interferon β on replication of SARS-CoV strain: FFM-1 in Vero cells 72 h after infection Virus detected in serum with peroxidase staining. *Values represent mean (SD) from three experiments, each done in triplicate.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

  • Treatment of SARS with human interferons.
    Antonelli G, Scagnolari C, Vicenzi E, Clementi M. Antonelli G, et al. Lancet. 2003 Oct 4;362(9390):1158; author reply 1158-9. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(03)14482-0. Lancet. 2003. PMID: 14550714 Free PMC article. No abstract available.
  • Treatment of SARS with human interferons.
    Moriguchi H, Sato C. Moriguchi H, et al. Lancet. 2003 Oct 4;362(9390):1159. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(03)14484-4. Lancet. 2003. PMID: 14550718 Free PMC article. No abstract available.

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