Combination Chemotheraphy Using Immune Modulators and Antiviral Drugs against Togaviruses and Bunyaviruses.

Infections caused by exotic viruses are an important public health problem world-wide, and are a threat to become more widely desiminated. Representative viruses from four medically important groups were chosen as model systems to investigate potential antiviral therapies. Select Alphaviruses, Flaviviruses, Bunyaviruses, and an Arenavirus Pichinde were studied. Model systems were established in vitro and in vivo. In vitro screens of candidate antiviral substances identified compounds of potential therapeutic interest. The most promising compounds were examined in vivo, using Semliki Forest and Banzi weanling mouse models, to establish minimal therapeutic levels. These experiments will form the basis for designing combination therapies using immune modulators and antiviral drugs. Keywords Immunonodulators, Antivirals, Arboviruses, Arenaviruses, Combination Therapy.