Combination drug treatment prolongs survival of experimentally infected mice with silver-haired bat rabies virus. Issue 33 (2nd August 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Martina, Byron E.E.; Smreczak, Marcin; Orlowska, Anna; Marzec, Anna; Trebas, Pawel; Roose, Jouke M.; Zmudzinski, Jan; Gerhauser, Ingo; Wohlsein, Peter; Baumgärtner, Wolfgang; Osterhaus, Albert D.M.E.; Koraka, Penelope
• Is Part Of: Vaccine. Volume 37:Issue 33(2019)
• Page Start: 4736
• Page End: 4742
• Publication Date: 2019-08-02
• Subjects: Rabies -- Therapy -- Combination treatment -- Blood–brain barrier; Vaccines -- Periodicals; 615.372
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2018.05.065
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0264-410X

Abstract

Abstract: Rabies is a lethal disease in humans and animals, killing approximately 60, 000 people every year. Currently, there is no treatment available, except post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) that can be administered whenever exposure to a rabid animal took place. Here we describe the beneficial effects of a combination treatment initiated at day 4 post infection, containing anti-viral drugs and immune modulators in infected mice. Combination therapy resulted in significant increase in survival time (P < 0.05) and significantly lowers viral RNA in the brain and spinal cord (P < 0.05). Furthermore, treatment influenced markers of pyroptosis and apoptosis and early inflammatory response as measured by the levels of TNF-α. Morphological lesions were absent in rabies virus infected mice with few signs of inflammation. However, these were not significant between the different groups.