Treating CMV with Bovine Lactoferrin

[leokitten]

So it's based on just your experience then, I take it. There's nothing wrong with that. This site exists for us to share experiences. I am just trying to be clear on your basis for making such a sweeping statement.

The HHV-6 Foundation disagrees with your statement that they have no activity against the beta herpes viruses. Weak activity is still activity.

Weak activity in-vitro almost always means even less activity in-vivo, so the HHV-6 Foundation is agreeing with my statement.

 

[leokitten]

Previous studies of herpesvirus infections have indicated that a virus-specified thymidine kinase is required for the initial phosphorylation of acyclovir [acycloguanosine or 9-(2-hydroxyethoxymethyl)guanine] in the formation of acycloguanosine triphosphate. The latter compound accumulates in infected cells and competitively inhibits the viral DNA polymerase. We found that mouse cytomegalovirus, which does not express a thymidine kinase, was sensitive to the antiviral effects of acyclovir at a 50% inhibitory dose of approximately 0.23 microM. Acyclovir was equally effective against mouse cytomegalovirus in normal 3T3 cells and in 3T3 cells deficient in cellular thymidine kinase. Furthermore, the activity of acyclovir could not be reversed by excess thymidine, which easily reversed the antiviral activity of acyclovir against herpes simplex virus. Using a high-pressure liquid chromatography technique that easily detected acycloguanosine triphosphate in cells infected with herpes simplex virus, we could not detect acycloguanosine triphosphate in mouse cytomegalovirus-infected cells. These experiments demonstrated that the activity of acyclovir against mouse cytomegalovirus is not dependent on a thymidine phosphorylation pathway. Additional experiments are underway to determine whether acycloguanosine triphosphate is produced by another pathway in concentrations sufficient to inhibit mouse cytomegalovirus DNA polymerase.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC171322/

It would appear there is more then 1 mechanism of antiviral actions of acyclovir?

This is in culture/in-vitro using mouse cells, I would love to see a article describe in a research clincal setting, Famvir/Valtrex given to humans with real active CMV infection, what those results would be. I know that no such research study exists because they wouldn't waste the money because they know the results would be terrible.

 

[leokitten]

Drugs like famvir and valtrex are used prophylactically to prevent cmv infections in immunosuppressed patients such as those undergoing organ transplant. No links but a quick google will show plenty of evidence.

This is not true at all, Valcyte is the only drug given to these patients for suppression of betaherpesvirus reactivation (CMV, HHV-6), they are never given Famvir/Valtrex unless they are needing to suppress HSV/VZV/EBV activation.

 

[leokitten]

So it's based on just your experience then, I take it. There's nothing wrong with that. This site exists for us to share experiences. I am just trying to be clear on your basis for making such a sweeping statement

No @Ema this is not based just on my experience and I clearly stated that. Ask yourself this, Famvir and Valtrex have existed for a long, long time and if they were effective at all against betaherpesviruses then why the heck would the medical and research community desperately need to develop new antiviral drugs such as Valcyte, Vistide, Foscarnet, etc in order to combat betaherpesvirus infections? And have patients take these toxic drugs instead of preexisting drugs such as Famvir and Valtrex??

Its because they don't work against betaherpesviruses, period. Having some weak activity in culture/in-vitro does not translate to human beings in the clinic, and the medical and research community have clearly seen that.

 

[leokitten]

Theres been a few people on here who have seen their viral titres to cmv or hhv6 drop on famvir, probably not as effective as valcyte, but they do work for some and a good alternative for those coming off valcyte treatment to help keep viral load down, similar in a way to it being used prophylacticly in immunosuppressed ?

Very, very few people and this is just anecdotal evidence, there is no scientific proof that it was actually the Famvir/Valtrex that caused the drop in CMV or HHV-6 titers. Virus titers go up and down without any antiviral treatment at all, so likely it was mostly due to natural viral load fluctuation and not primarily due to these drugs. I or any doctor would never recommend to anyone to take Famvir or Valtrex if they have real betaherpesvirus infection, they know it won't have much effect.

 

[heapsreal]

This is not true at all, Valcyte is the only drug given to these patients for suppression of betaherpesvirus reactivation (CMV, HHV-6), they are never given Famvir/Valtrex unless they are needing to suppress HSV/VZV/EBV activation.

try goggle

 

[heapsreal]

Very, very few people and this is just anecdotal evidence, there is no scientific proof that it was actually the Famvir/Valtrex that caused the drop in CMV or HHV-6 titers. Virus titers go up and down without any antiviral treatment at all, so likely it was mostly due to natural viral load fluctuation and not primarily due to these drugs. I or any doctor would never recommend to anyone to take Famvir or Valtrex if they have real betaherpesvirus infection, they know it won't have much effect.

i will stick with my own experience and its helped alot.
No chance my viral load has just coincidentally gone down but then when i stop famvir i get sick again. ALso corresponding changes in total lymphocytes and cd8 lymphocytes decreasing while on famvir.

 

[heapsreal]

This is not true at all, Valcyte is the only drug given to these patients for suppression of betaherpesvirus reactivation (CMV, HHV-6), they are never given Famvir/Valtrex unless they are needing to suppress HSV/VZV/EBV activation.

Acyclovir prophylaxis
High-dose valacyclovir, penciclovir, famciclovir, and acyclovir have been used for CMV prophylaxis in organ transplant recipients. The results have been mixed and depend on the transplant population.


European transplant groups are more likely to use acyclovir or valacyclovir for CMV prophylaxis than their US counterparts.

In vitro assays have shown that some strains of CMV may be susceptible to acyclovir.

Overall, acyclovir prophylaxis is not as effective as prophylaxis with ganciclovir.
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/215702-treatment
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11929799
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12627359
http://www.clinicalmicrobiologyandinfection.com/article/S1198-743X(14)62380-6/abstract?cc=y

Know one is say valtrex and famvir are the gold standard for cmv but they do have effects against cmv and its an alternative to people who want to avoid certain side effects or have neutropenia and may want to avoid valcyte.

google can show u many more studies.