Successful treatment of West Nile virus infection after approximately 3 weeks into the disease course

Pharmacotherapy. 2007 Mar;27(3):455-8. doi: 10.1592/phco.27.3.455.

Abstract

West Nile virus can cause a febrile illness that may progress to meningoencephalitis. The only available treatments are ribavirin (although it has had limited success in humans) and interferon alpha-2b. A small pilot study showed that starting treatment with interferon alpha-2b on days 1-4 of hospital admission may reduce disease severity and complications. We encountered an 83-year-old man with West Nile meningoencephalitis who began taking interferon alpha-2b 3 weeks after disease presentation. Although studies and reports indicate that treatment is less likely to provide a favorable response if administered after days 1-6 of the disease course, the patient experienced substantial beneficial effects from this treatment. This is the first case report, to our knowledge, that describes successful treatment with interferon alpha-2b after several weeks of West Nile virus infection. Further studies are warranted to more fully understand the value of interferon alpha-2b in treating West Nile meningoencephalitis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Humans
  • Interferon alpha-2
  • Interferon-alpha / therapeutic use*
  • Interferons / therapeutic use*
  • Male
  • Meningoencephalitis / drug therapy*
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Time Factors
  • West Nile Fever / drug therapy*
  • West Nile virus / drug effects
  • West Nile virus / isolation & purification*

Substances

  • Interferon alpha-2
  • Interferon-alpha
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Interferons