Open AccessTime to reconsider the role of ribavirin in Lassa fever
Author(s) -
Alex Salam,
Hung-Yuan Cheng,
Tansy Edwards,
Piero Olliaro,
Jonathan A C Sterne,
Peter Horby
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
plos neglected tropical diseases
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.99
H-Index - 135
eISSN - 1935-2735
pISSN - 1935-2727
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009522
Subject(s) - ribavirin , lassa fever , lassa virus , medicine , virology , intensive care medicine , virus , hepatitis c virus
Ribavirin is the only available Lassa fever treatment. The rationale for using ribavirin is based on one clinical study conducted in the early 1980s. However, reanalysis of previous unpublished data reveals that ribavirin may actually be harmful in some Lassa fever patients. An urgent reevaluation of ribavirin is therefore needed.