Antiviral Chemotherapy in Viral Respiratory Infection

In spite of many difficulties in the development of antiviral agents, progress has been made both in laboratory works and clinical studies. In the field of viral respiratory infections, N1, N1-anhydrobis- (β-hydroxyethyl) biguanide HCl (ABOB) and amantadine are now available.The effect of ABOB in the treatment of influenza (A2 and B) and pharyngoconjunctival fever (caused by adenovirus type 3) was shown by shorter duration of fever in treated group than in the control by double blind method. Amantadine was also revealed to be effective for influenza (A2 and Hongkong) in double blind test. Some data were shown in regard to these antiviral agents.Possibilities of clinical administration of interferon and interferon inducers were also discussed.