Evaluation of inhaled cidofovir as postexposure prophylactic in an aerosol rabbitpox model.

ABSTRACT: Smallpox is considered a biological threat based upon the possibility of deliberate reintroduction into the population, creating an urgent need for effective antivirals. The antiviral drug cidofovir (Cr) has shown to be effective against poxviruses, although route-specific nephrotoxicity has hampered its development for emergency post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). In this study, we use a micronized dry powder formulation of pharmaceutical-grade Cr (NanoFOVIRTM; Nf) to treat rabbits exposed to aerosolized rabbitpox virus (RPXV) to further evaluate the effectiveness of direct drug delivery to the lung. Naïve rabbits were infected with RPXV by aerosol; three subsets received aerosolized Nf at 0.5, 1.0 or 1.75mg/kg daily for 3days post-exposure, positive and negative control groups received intr

SUBMITTER: Verreault D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3505885 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature