EFFICACY OF COMBINATION THERAPY WITH AMANTADINE, THYMOSIN ALPHA-1 ANDALPHA BETA INTERFERON IN MICE INFECTED WITH INFLUENZA-A VIRUS/

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of the antiviral drug amantadine (AMN) administered in combination with thymosin alpha 1 (T alpha 1) and murine alpha/beta interferon (IFN) on mice infected with influenza A PR8 virus. Combined treatment with AMN and T alpha 1, for 4 days, followed by a single injection of IFN, was initiated 1 h afte r intranasal viral inoculation. The effectiveness of this new chemoimm unotherapy protocol was seen in the long-term survival of a high perce ntage of animals and was statistically significant when compared to tr eatment with single agents in conjunction with chemotherapy or to chem otherapy alone. In addition, chemoimmunotherapy treatment reduces the viral titre in the lungs as well as restoring the immunological parame ters tested (natural killer cell activity; cytotoxic T-lymphocyte resp onses; CD4(+)/CD8(+) lymphocyte subsets) with respect to all other gro ups. These results suggest the potential use of these immunomodulating agents in combination with an antiviral drug in controlling PR8 influ enza virus infection. Copyright (C) 1996 International Society for Imm unopharmacology