Successful Treatment of West Nile Virus Infection After Approximately 3 Weeks into the Disease Course

Pharmacotherapy - Tập 27 Số 3 - Trang 455-458 - 2007
Melissa Lewis1, Jarrett R. Amsden2,3
1Walgreens Pharmacy, Indianapolis, Indiana
2Department of Pharmacy Practice, Butler University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Indianapolis, Indiana
3Department of Pharmacy, Community Health Network, Indianapolis, Indiana.

Tóm tắt

West Nile virus can cause a febrile illness that may progress to meningoencephalitis. The only available treatments are ribavirin (although it has had limited success in humans) and interferon α‐2b. A small pilot study showed that starting treatment with interferon α‐2b on days 1–4 of hospital admission may reduce disease severity and complications. We encountered an 83‐year‐old man with West Nile meningoencephalitis who began taking interferon α‐2b 3 weeks after disease presentation. Although studies and reports indicate that treatment is less likely to provide a favorable response if administered after days 1–6 of the disease course, the patient experienced substantial beneficial effects from this treatment. This is the first case report, to our knowledge, that describes successful treatment with interferon α‐2b after several weeks of West Nile virus infection. Further studies are warranted to more fully understand the value of interferon α‐2b in treating West Nile meningoencephalitis.

Từ khóa


Tài liệu tham khảo

Jackson AB, 2005, Pharmacotherapy self‐assessment program, 61

10.1136/bmj.326.7394.865

10.7326/0003-4819-140-7-200404060-00015

10.3201/eid0801.010252

10.1086/423325

10.1086/427945

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.West Nile virus. Available fromhttp:www.cdc.govncidoddvbidwestnileindex.htm. Accessed May 8 2006.

10.1128/CMR.14.4.778-809.2001

Thông tin
Thông tin xuất bản

Pharmacotherapy

Tập 27 Số 3

455-458

Thông tin tác giả