Effects of diclofenac or ketorolac on the inhibitory activity of cidofovir in the Ad5/NZW rabbit model. (73/1594)

PURPOSE: The goal of this study was to determine the effects of concurrent therapy with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on the antiviral activity of cidofovir on adenovirus replication and the formation of subepithelial infiltrates in the Ad5/New Zealand White rabbit ocular model. METHODS: According to two protocols, 20 rabbits were inoculated in both eyes with Ad5 topically to study adenovirus replication, and 20 rabbits were inoculated in both eyes topically and intrastromally to study the formation of subepithelial infiltrates. Animals were randomized to four masked treatment groups: group I, 0.5% cidofovir + artificial tears; group II, 0.5% cidofovir + 0.5% ketorolac tromethamine; group III, 0.5% cidofovir + 0.1% diclofenac sodium; and group IV, control + artificial tears. Cidofovir and control were administered to both eyes twice daily for 7 days, and artificial tears, ketorolac, and diclofenac four times daily for 14 days. Eyes were cultured on days 0, 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 14. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, all cidofovir-treated groups demonstrated significant antiviral effects on adenovirus replication. There were no differences in adenovirus replication among the cidofovir-treated groups (I, II, and III), nor were there any differences among all groups (I-IV) in the formation of subepithelial infiltrates. CONCLUSIONS: Concurrent treatment of ketorolac or diclofenac with cidofovir did not diminish its antiviral inhibitory activity on adenovirus replication, nor did it prevent the formation of subepithelial infiltrates in the rabbit model.  (+info)

Macrophage are the principal reservoir and sustain high virus loads in rhesus macaques after the depletion of CD4+ T cells by a highly pathogenic simian immunodeficiency virus/HIV type 1 chimera (SHIV): Implications for HIV-1 infections of humans. (74/1594)

The highly pathogenic simian immunodeficiency virus/HIV type 1 (SHIV) chimeric virus SHIV(DH12R) induces a systemic depletion of CD4(+) T lymphocytes in rhesus monkeys during the initial 3-4 weeks of infection. Nonetheless, high levels of viral RNA production continue unabated for an additional 2-5 months. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemical analyses revealed that tissue macrophage in the lymph nodes, spleen, gastrointestinal tract, liver, and kidney sustain high plasma virus loads in the absence of CD4(+) T cells. Quantitative confocal immunofluorescence analysis indicated that greater than 95% of the virus-producing cells in these tissues are macrophage and less than 2% are T lymphocytes. Interestingly, the administration of a potent reverse transcriptase inhibitor blocked virus production during the early T cell phase but not during the later macrophage phase of the SHIV(DH12R) infection. When interpreted in the context of HIV-1 infections, these results implicate tissue macrophage as an important reservoir of virus in vivo. They become infected during the acute infection, gradually increase in number over time, and can be a major contributor to total body virus burden during the symptomatic phase of the human infection.  (+info)

Complexometric determination of diphosphonic acid derivatives. Part II. (75/1594)

The purpose of the study is to develop complexometric method determination of diphosphonic acid derivatives in pharmaceutical preparations used in the treatment of osteoporosis, vis., disodium etidronate, disodium tiludronate, disodium pamidronate and sodium alendronate. The visual end-point titration method involving either as complexing reagent Th(DCTA) or Th(EDTA) in the presence of xylenol orange or methyl thymol blue, uses the ability of these compounds to form complexes.  (+info)

Development of virus-specific immune responses in SHIV(KU)-infected macaques treated with PMPA. (76/1594)

Therapeutic intervention with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) can lead to the suppression of HIV viremia below the threshold of detection for several years. However, impact of HAART on reconstitution of virus-specific immune responses remains poorly understood. In this study, four macaques were infected with pathogenic SHIV(KU). One week postinoculation two of the four animals were treated with PMPA [9-R-(2-phosphophomethoxypropyl)adenine] daily for 83 days. Two other macaques, that did not receive treatment, exhibited explosive virus replication accompanied by a near total loss of CD4(+) T cells and succumbed to AIDS-related complications within 6 months of infection. These animals did not develop any virus-specific immune responses. On the contrary, the animals that received PMPA showed transient loss of CD4(+) T cells that recovered during the treatment period. The virus burden declined below the level of detection that rebounded soon after cessation of PMPA therapy. The virus replicated productively for several weeks before both animals controlled the productive replication of virus. This control of virus replication was found to be associated with the development of virus-specific neutralizing antibodies, T-helper cells, and CTLs. Although PMPA did not eliminate virus from the animals, it provided them with enough time to mount virus-specific immune responses that eventually controlled the virus replication in the blood. Our results suggest that antiretroviral therapy, if initiated early during infection, would help the host in mounting virus-specific immune responses that might control productive replication of the virus.  (+info)

Enhanced cellular immune response and reduced CD8(+) lymphocyte apoptosis in acutely SIV-infected Rhesus macaques after short-term antiretroviral treatment. (77/1594)

Losing the decisive virus-specific functions of both CD4(+) and CD8(+) T lymphocytes in the first weeks after immunodeficiency virus infection ultimately leads to AIDS. The SIV/rhesus monkey model for AIDS was used to demonstrate that a 4-week chemotherapeutic reduction of viral load during acute SIV infection of macaques allowed the development of a competent immune response able to control virus replication after discontinuation of treatment in two of five monkeys. Increasing SIV-specific CD4(+) T-helper-cell proliferation was found in all macaques several weeks after treatment, independent of their viral load. However, only macaques with low viral loads showed persistent T-cell reactivity of lymph node cells. In contrast to animals with higher viral loads, T-helper-cell counts and memory T-helper cells did not decline in the two macaques controlling viral replication. Lymphocyte apoptosis was consistently low in all treated macaques. In contrast, high CD8(+) lymphocyte death but only slightly increased CD4(+) lymphocyte apoptosis were observed during the first weeks after infection in untreated control animals, indicating that early apoptotic death of virus-specific CTL could be an important factor for disease development. Antiretroviral treatment early after infection obviously retained virus-specific and competent T lymphocytes, whereby a virus-specific immune response could develop in two animals able to control the viral replication after cessation of treatment.  (+info)

Cidofovir for cytomegalovirus infection and disease in allogeneic stem cell transplant recipients. The Infectious Diseases Working Party of the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. (78/1594)

A retrospective study was performed to collect information regarding efficacy and toxicity of cidofovir (CDV) in allogeneic stem cell transplant patients. Data were available on 82 patients. The indications for therapy were cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease in 20 patients, primary preemptive therapy in 24 patients, and secondary preemptive therapy in 38 patients. Of the patients, 47 had received previous antiviral therapy with ganciclovir, foscarnet, or both drugs. The dosage of CDV was 1 to 5 mg/kg per week followed by maintenance every other week in some patients. The duration of therapy ranged from 1 to 134 days (median, 22 days). All patients received probenecid and prehydration. Ten of 20 (50%) patients who were treated for CMV disease (9 of 16 with pneumonia) responded to CDV therapy, as did 25 of 38 (66%) patients who had failed or relapsed after previous preemptive therapy and 15 of 24 (62%) patients in whom CDV was used as the primary preemptive therapy. Of the patients, 21 (25.6%) developed renal toxicity that remained after cessation of therapy in 12 patients. Fifteen patients developed other toxicities that were potentially due to CDV or the concomitantly given probenecid. No toxicity was seen in 45 (61.6%) patients. Cidofovir can be considered as second-line therapy in patients with CMV disease failing previous antiviral therapy. However, additional studies are needed before CDV can be recommended for preemptive therapy.  (+info)

Virological, clinical, and ophthalmologic features of cytomegalovirus retinitis after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. (79/1594)

We identified 10 patients who developed cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis after HSCT during a 14-year period. The median day of diagnosis of CMV retinitis after transplantation was day 251 (range, days 106--365). CMV retinitis was associated with CMV serostatus of donor or recipient (P=0.01), CMV reactivation before day 100 (P=0.007), delayed lymphocyte engraftment (P<0.05), and chronic graft versus host disease (GVHD; P<0.001). In allogeneic recipients of HSCT who were alive at day 100 after transplantation and had chronic clinical extensive GVHD, the incidence of GVHD was 1.4% (8 of 577). Five of 10 patients had other manifestation of CMV disease before retinitis occurred (4 with gastrointestinal disease and 1 with interstitial pneumonia; median time, 70 days before onset of CMV retinitis; range, 58--279 days), and 4 others had CMV excretion. CMV retinitis was bilateral in 4 patients; 9 of 10 patients had ocular symptoms (i.e., decreased vision and floaters). Six of 7 patients responded well to ganciclovir or foscarnet systemic treatment, 1 improved only after switching to cidofovir, and 1 patient who received a transplant in 1983 did not respond to acyclovir treatment. In conclusion, CMV retinitis is an uncommon late complication after HSCT that occurs mainly in seropositive allograft recipients with previous CMV reactivation and chronic GVHD, and with delayed engraftment of lymphocytes.  (+info)

Systemic cidofovir in papillomatosis. (80/1594)

An 8-year-old patient with severe recurrent respiratory papillomatosis and pulmonary spread was treated by systemic administration of cidofovir in association with laser treatment for tracheal lesions. Complete disappearance of the lesions in the pharynx and larynx and a significant yet incomplete regression in the bronchi and lung parenchyma were observed without deleterious side effects. This is the first case report of systemic use of cidofovir to treat recurrent respiratory papillomatosis.  (+info)