Interferon-Alpha: A Promising Treatment for SARS Outbreaks

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Research indicates that interferon-alpha, a drug used for hepatitis C, may also alleviate symptoms of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in infected monkeys and potentially reduce their infectiousness. This drug is already available and has minimal side effects. Experts suggest that if another SARS outbreak occurs, testing this drug could be beneficial. However, some participants in the discussion express skepticism about the relevance of this research, noting that SARS is largely under control and questioning the timing of the drug's testing after the crisis has passed. The conversation highlights the challenges of treating SARS and the importance of exploring existing drugs for new applications, despite frustrations about the delays in finding effective treatments during outbreaks.
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http://www.nature.com/nsu/040216/040216-23.html

A drug used to treat hepatitis C may prove useful against severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). The drug, called interferon-alpha, eases symptoms in infected monkeys, and may make them less infectious too. [..] The drug is already commercially available and has no serious side effects. The next step is to test it against SARS if another outbreak occurs, says Osterhaus, who works at the Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
 
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heh, no need. sars is gone.
 
You think so?
 
Originally posted by Monique
You think so?


lol even not all gone, you dun need to worry about it.

whitehorsemen of yours is not in china nor in vietname, so dun worry about it.
 
What an attitude. The point is that SARS is hard to treat and a researcher was smart enough to test drugs already in existence for their activity against SARS.
 
Originally posted by Monique
What an attitude. The point is that SARS is hard to treat and a researcher was smart enough to test drugs already in existence for their activity against SARS.

yes very smart.

and you are very smart too. Get on AIM please, I want to talk to you.
 
It took them long enough. During the outbreak, deaths and panic took over waiting for a cure.

After the disease leaves, and people have already died and others forgot about the disease, they find it cure.

PERFECT TIMING!

It's like inventing a deadly bomb AFTER the war.

Thanks for the article though. I'm suppose to find an article to write about every week for my biology class. One that interests me.
 
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