Ribavirin Had Demonstrable Effects on the Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus (CCHFV) Population and Load in a Patient With CCHF Infection

J Infect Dis. 2018 May 25;217(12):1952-1956. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiy163.

Abstract

The use of ribavirin to treat Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) infection has been controversial, based on uncertainties about its antiviral efficacy in clinical case studies. We studied the effect of ribavirin treatment on viral populations in a recent case by deep-sequencing analysis of plasma samples obtained from a CCHFV-infected patient before, during, and after a 5-day regimen of ribavirin treatment. The CCHFV load dropped during ribavirin treatment, and subclonal diversity (transitions) and indels increased in viral genomes during treatment. Although the results are based on a single case, these data demonstrate the mutagenic effect of ribavirin on CCHFV in vivo.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Viral / immunology
  • Antiviral Agents / immunology
  • Hemorrhagic Fever Virus, Crimean-Congo / drug effects*
  • Hemorrhagic Fever Virus, Crimean-Congo / immunology
  • Hemorrhagic Fever, Crimean / drug therapy*
  • Hemorrhagic Fever, Crimean / immunology
  • Humans
  • Ribavirin / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Antiviral Agents
  • Ribavirin