Therapeutic activity of intramuscular peramivir in mice infected with a recombinant influenza A/WSN/33 (H1N1) virus containing the H275Y neuraminidase mutation

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2012 Aug;56(8):4375-80. doi: 10.1128/AAC.00753-12. Epub 2012 Jun 4.

Abstract

The therapeutic activity of intramuscular (IM) peramivir was evaluated in mice infected with a recombinant influenza A/WSN/33 virus containing the H275Y neuraminidase (NA) mutation known to confer oseltamivir resistance. Regimens consisted of single (90 mg/kg of body weight) or multiple (45 mg/kg daily for 5 days) IM peramivir doses that were initiated 24 h or 48 h postinfection (p.i.). An oral oseltamivir regimen (1 or 10 mg/kg daily for 5 days) was used for comparison. Untreated animals had a mortality rate of 75% and showed a mean weight loss of 16.9% on day 5 p.i. When started at 24 h p.i., both peramivir regimens prevented mortality and significantly reduced weight loss (P < 0.001) and lung viral titers (LVT) (P < 0.001). A high dose (10 mg/kg) of oseltamivir initiated at 24 h p.i. also prevented mortality and significantly decreased weight loss (P < 0.05) and LVT (P < 0.001) compared to the untreated group results. In contrast, a low dose (1 mg/kg) of oseltamivir did not show any benefits. When started at 48 h p.i., both peramivir regimens prevented mortality and significantly reduced weight loss (P < 0.01) and LVT (P < 0.001) whereas low-dose or high-dose oseltamivir regimens had no effect on mortality rates, body weight loss, and LVT. Our results show that single-dose and multiple-dose IM peramivir regimens retain clinical and virological activities against the A/H1N1 H275Y variant despite some reduction in susceptibility when assessed in vitro using enzymatic assays. IM peramivir could constitute an alternative for treatment of oseltamivir-resistant A/H1N1 infections, although additional studies are warranted to support such a recommendation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acids, Carbocyclic
  • Animals
  • Antiviral Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use
  • Cyclopentanes / administration & dosage*
  • Cyclopentanes / therapeutic use
  • Drug Resistance, Viral / genetics
  • Female
  • Guanidines / administration & dosage*
  • Guanidines / therapeutic use
  • Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / drug effects*
  • Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / genetics*
  • Injections, Intramuscular
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mutation
  • Neuraminidase / genetics*
  • Orthomyxoviridae Infections / drug therapy*
  • Orthomyxoviridae Infections / virology
  • Oseltamivir / therapeutic use
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Viral Proteins / genetics*

Substances

  • Acids, Carbocyclic
  • Antiviral Agents
  • Cyclopentanes
  • Guanidines
  • Viral Proteins
  • Oseltamivir
  • NA protein, influenza A virus
  • Neuraminidase
  • peramivir