An Historic Overview of Biological Response Modifiers as Antiviral Agents
A wide variety ofimmunomodulators/biological response modifiers (BRMs) has been demonstrated to provide broad spectrum antiviral activity against both RNA and DNA viruses in several animal species. Dramatic decreases in mortality, reduced virus titres in tissues and reduced histopathology can be pro...
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| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
1992-01-01
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| Series: | Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/1992/979517 |
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| Summary: | A wide variety ofimmunomodulators/biological response modifiers
(BRMs) has been demonstrated to provide broad spectrum antiviral activity against both RNA and DNA
viruses in several animal species. Dramatic decreases in mortality, reduced virus titres in tissues and
reduced histopathology can be produced. The antivirally effective agents include microbially derived
materials, polyanions, cytokines and chemically diverse small molecular weight chemicals. The greatest
protective effects are observed with prophylactic treatment. although early therapeutic treatment can also
be effective. Little direct antiviral activity can be observed in vitro. The findings suggest induction by BRMs
of antiviral mediators in vivo early in the course of viral pathogenesis, before the virus has become
sequestered in a privileged site or too much infectious virus has been produced for natural resistance to
have an impact, immunomodulators are pleiotropic in their immunomodulatory effects, and it has been
difficult to establish whether one cell type or mediator is critical for the observed broad spectrum antiviral
activity. Therefore, the mechanisms of antiviral action of immunomodulators remain unclear for most
systems, but probably involve enhancement of natural immune responses. While no unified antiviral
mechanism among different immunomodulators has yet emerged, interferon induction remains a major
hypothesis. |
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| ISSN: | 1180-2332 |