Effect of Small-Particle Aerosols of Rimantadine and Ribavirin on Pathophysiologic Changes Associated with A/NJ Influenza in Mice 1 2

Abstract

Summary

Small-particle aerosols of rimantadine administered continuously beginning 72 hr postinfection for 4 days (21 mg/kg/day) and ribavirin administered beginning 6 hr postinfection for 80 min daily for 4 days (26 mg/kg/day) were used to treat experimentally induced influenza A/NJ/8/76 (H_swINI) infection in adult female mice [Dub:(ICR)]. Over a 12-day period following inoculation, mice from each group were studied at random to assess rectal temperature; arterial blood pH, P_aO2 , P_aCO2 and HCO₃ ^- values; progressive pulmonary pathophysiological changes, and concurrent lung lesions and lung virus titers. Results in treated mice were compared with data from control groups of normal and infected-untreated mice. The influenza infection with A/NJ virus resulted in hypothermia, bronchial pneumonia, and blood gas alterations. Treatment with ribavirin completely prevented these alterations from occurring. Although rimantadine did not prevent all pathophysiological alterations, it resulted in decreased recovery time.