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Does new Hep C drug sofosbuvir have any antiviral activity against coxsackievirus?
- Thread starter RYO
- Start date
Hip
Senior Member
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Do you know how Dr De Palma tested this antiviral drug sofosbuvir for its effects on enteroviruses?
Given that chronic coxsackievirus B or echovirus infection comprises two parts: the regular (lytic cycle) viruses, and the non-cytolytic viruses (which are just bits of ssRNA and dsRNA that replicate inside cells), and given that Dr Chia thinks it may be this non-cytolytic infection that is causing most of the trouble in ME/CFS, it would be interesting to know which of these two components of the enterovirus infection Dr De Palma was measuring.
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Hip
Senior Member
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In the article about Dr Chia quoted earlier in this thread, it says "A hepatitis C drug under development will, he [Chia] believes, be able to knock off the RNA that is causing havoc in ME/CFS." So I think Dr Chia was thinking in terms of a hepatitis C drugs that targets the non-cytopathic RNA intracellular enterovirus infection.
In this study: Chronic fatigue syndrome is associated with chronic enterovirus infection of the stomach (J Clin Pathol 2007;0:1–6. doi: 10.1136/jcp.2007.050054),
Chia talks about detecting both enterovirus VP1 protein (VP1 protein comes from the viral capsid, so I presume this protein indicates the presence of the regular, lytic cycle infection), as well as non-cytopathic enteroviruses in the stomach biopsies of ME/CFS patients. So perhaps to test a drug for its efficacy against non-cytopathic enteroviruses, you'd need to perform before and after stomach biopsies like Dr Chia did.
In this study: Chronic fatigue syndrome is associated with chronic enterovirus infection of the stomach (J Clin Pathol 2007;0:1–6. doi: 10.1136/jcp.2007.050054),
Chia talks about detecting both enterovirus VP1 protein (VP1 protein comes from the viral capsid, so I presume this protein indicates the presence of the regular, lytic cycle infection), as well as non-cytopathic enteroviruses in the stomach biopsies of ME/CFS patients. So perhaps to test a drug for its efficacy against non-cytopathic enteroviruses, you'd need to perform before and after stomach biopsies like Dr Chia did.
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I spoke with Dr. Chia. He is aware of Dr. De Palmas research. He agrees that it is disappointing that Gilead's Hep C medications do not show anti-viral activity. However, it doesn't rule out that other new Hep C medications may prove to be helpful. It would be nice if a drug company with like Gilead could devote resources towards developing a polymerase inhibitor specific for Coxsackie.
In the meantime, I have restarted betaseron injections. They are difficult to tolerate but it has been the most effective therapy so far for hip girdle weakness.
In the meantime, I have restarted betaseron injections. They are difficult to tolerate but it has been the most effective therapy so far for hip girdle weakness.
Hip
Senior Member
- Messages
- 17,869
@RYO
Yes, if only a drug company took an interest in coxsackievirus B. Better still would be if a coxsackievirus B vaccine were developed (at least for the benefit of future generations).
Any particular reason you went for interferon beta (Betaseron)? I know that in Dr Chia's research using various interferons for ME/CFS, he tried the interferon alpha+delta combo, and the interferon alpha+gamma combo. It is quite amazing that some of the patients taking a single course of interferon alpha+gamma were in near remission for as long a 14 months before they relapsed.
Is depression the main side effect you are getting with Betaseron, or are there some other side effects that make these injections difficult to tolerate?
Yes, if only a drug company took an interest in coxsackievirus B. Better still would be if a coxsackievirus B vaccine were developed (at least for the benefit of future generations).
Any particular reason you went for interferon beta (Betaseron)? I know that in Dr Chia's research using various interferons for ME/CFS, he tried the interferon alpha+delta combo, and the interferon alpha+gamma combo. It is quite amazing that some of the patients taking a single course of interferon alpha+gamma were in near remission for as long a 14 months before they relapsed.
Is depression the main side effect you are getting with Betaseron, or are there some other side effects that make these injections difficult to tolerate?
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It is based upon Dr. Kuhl's study on viral cardiomyopathy. Also I have read review articles that interferon b can be more beneficial in viral clearance than other interferons.
Flu like symptoms are most difficult. My legs ache, burn, and feel cold similar to the way I felt when I first got sick.
I also suspect that those of us who suffer with significant muscle symptoms may have genetic predisposition. Hopefully, advances in genomics will shed some light on this question in the near future.
Flu like symptoms are most difficult. My legs ache, burn, and feel cold similar to the way I felt when I first got sick.
I also suspect that those of us who suffer with significant muscle symptoms may have genetic predisposition. Hopefully, advances in genomics will shed some light on this question in the near future.
Hip
Senior Member
- Messages
- 17,869
Shame Dr Chia didn't include interferon beta in his interferon research for ME/CFS, just for comparison purposes with other interferons. At one stage Dr Jonathan Kerr, a ME/CFS researcher in the UK, wanted to perform a trial of interferon beta for ME/CFS, but unfortunately this never went ahead.
This in vitro study suggests that IFN-beta is more effective than IFN-alpha.
Though I understand that the effects of interferon are dependent on the serotype of coxsackievirus B. In a DVD video I saw, Dr Chia said he found the interferon and ribavirin combo effective against coxsackievirus B3 infections, but not effective against coxsackievirus B4 infections.
This in vitro study suggests that IFN-beta is more effective than IFN-alpha.
Though I understand that the effects of interferon are dependent on the serotype of coxsackievirus B. In a DVD video I saw, Dr Chia said he found the interferon and ribavirin combo effective against coxsackievirus B3 infections, but not effective against coxsackievirus B4 infections.