MIVEGEC, Univ. Montpellier, IRD, CNRS, 34394 Montpellier, France.
Unité des Virus Emergents (UVE), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement 190, IHU Méditerranée Infection, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale 1207, Aix Marseille Université, 13005 Marseille, France.
Viruses. 2021 Nov 3;13(11):2213. doi: 10.3390/v13112213.
Mayaro virus (MAYV) is an emergent alphavirus that causes MAYV fever. It is often associated with debilitating symptoms, particularly arthralgia and myalgia. MAYV infection is becoming a considerable health issue that, unfortunately, lacks a specific antiviral treatment. Favipiravir, a broad-spectrum antiviral drug, has recently been shown to exert anti-MAYV activity in vitro. In the present study, the potential of Favipiravir to inhibit MAYV replication in an in vivo model was evaluated. Immunocompetent mice were orally administrated 300 mg/kg/dose of Favipiravir at pre-, concurrent-, or post-MAYV infection. The results showed a significant reduction in infectious viral particles and viral RNA transcripts in the tissues and blood of the pre- and concurrently treated infected mice. A significant reduction in the presence of both viral RNA transcript and infectious viral particles in the tissue and blood of pre- and concurrently treated infected mice was observed. By contrast, Favipiravir treatment post-MAYV infection did not result in a reduction in viral replication. Interestingly, Favipiravir strongly decreased the blood levels of the liver disease markers aspartate- and alanine aminotransferase in the pre- and concurrently treated MAYV-infected mice. Taken together, these results suggest that Favipiravir is a potent antiviral drug when administered in a timely manner.
马亚罗病毒（MAYV）是一种新兴的甲病毒，可引起马亚罗热。它常与使人衰弱的症状相关，尤其是关节痛和肌痛。马亚罗病毒感染正成为一个相当严重的健康问题，不幸的是，目前缺乏特定的抗病毒治疗方法。法匹拉韦是一种广谱抗病毒药物，最近已被证明在体外具有抗马亚罗病毒的活性。在本研究中，评估了法匹拉韦在体内模型中抑制马亚罗病毒复制的潜力。免疫功能正常的小鼠在马亚罗病毒感染前、感染时或感染后口服给予 300mg/kg/天剂量的法匹拉韦。结果表明，在感染前和同时给药的感染小鼠的组织和血液中，传染性病毒颗粒和病毒 RNA 转录本显著减少。在感染前和同时给药的感染小鼠的组织和血液中，均观察到病毒 RNA 转录本和传染性病毒颗粒的存在显著减少。相比之下，马亚罗病毒感染后给予法匹拉韦治疗并未导致病毒复制减少。有趣的是，法匹拉韦强烈降低了感染前和同时给药的 MAYV 感染小鼠血液中的肝脏疾病标志物天冬氨酸转氨酶和丙氨酸转氨酶的水平。总之，这些结果表明，法匹拉韦是一种有效的抗病毒药物，在及时给药时效果更强。
