Intranasal Interferon- 2 Prophylaxis of Natural Respiratory Virus Infection

Abstract

The hope that the topical application of interferon to the upper respiratory tract could prevent the acquisition of viral respiratory infections has been vigorously pursued in a series of recent studies At a daily dosage of 10 million IV of IFN-a2' experimental rhinovirus infections were inhibited [2] and experimental influenza A infections were associated with reduced respiratory illness and viral shedding Two field trails [6, 7) in which this daily dose was tested reported both virological and clinical efficacy, but also found that medication was associated with unacceptable nasal irritation, mucosal ulceration, and nasal bleeding, and the trials were terminated prematurely.