Experimental Drug Protects Animal Model from Measles-Like Virus

This enzyme is required for replication of the virus, as it catalyzes the synthesis of a complementary strand of RNA from the original viral RNA template.

Results reported in the April 16, 2014, issue of the journal Science Translational Medicine revealed that prophylactic oral drug treatment of the ferrets protected them from a lethal dose of CDV administered intranasally. Ferrets that received the drug after having been infected with the same dose of virus showed low-grade viral loads, remained asymptomatic, and recovered from infection, whereas control animals succumbed to the disease. Animals that had recovered from CDV infection demonstrated a robust immune response and were protected against re-challenge with a lethal CDV dose.

The investigators stated that the drug is not intended as a substitute for vaccination, but as an additional weapon in a concerted effort to eliminate the disease. "The emergence of strong antiviral immunity in treated animals is particularly encouraging, since it suggests that the drug may not only save an infected individual from disease but contribute to closing measles immunity gaps in a population," said senior author Dr. Richard Plemper, professor in the center for inflammation, immunity, and infection at Georgia State University.

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Georgia State University
Emory University
Paul-Ehrlich Institute