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Medicine
John Grauerholz, M.D.
New viruses resist antibiotics
has been administered under a "com­
More and more strains we can't cope with are now arising in
immunodepressed patients.
passionate plea" protocol which al­
lows the use of unapproved drugs.
Since it is apparently effective in pre­
venting otherwise certain blindness
caused by CMV infection of the eye,
As if the spread of HIV infection
with virus reproduction while not af­
were not enough of a nightmare in it­
fecting normal cells. This is much
When the FDA refused to approve
self, it appears to be contributing to
more of a problem with viruses, since
commercial sales until a new clinical
another major problem. This is the
they utilize the metabolic machinery
trial was completed, there was an out­
emergence of antibiotic resistance on
of the cell itself to reproduce them­
pouring of protest by doctors and ad­
the part of other viruses which com­
selves, than with bacteria, which have
vocates for AIDS patients. The FDA
monly infect immunocompromised
their own independent metabolic ma­
is now reconsidering its decision, but,
individuals. These viruses, members
chinery.
ironically, it now appears that CMV
no controlled studies have been done.
of the herpesvirus family, were among
One of the first successful antiviral
is beating FDA to the punch and be­
the first viruses for which successful,
drugs which could be given by mouth
coming resistant to the drug even be­
and relatively non-toxic, antibiotics
or by injection is acyclovir, which is
fore it is approved.
had been developed.
effective against herpes simplex vi­
Researchers from Minneapolis,
Minnesota, Portland, Oregon and the
England Journal olMedicine contains
ruses and Epstein-Barr virus. System­
'
ic acyclovir is effective in treating dis­
a series of articles reporting on the
seminated HSV infections in immu­
Triangle Park, North Carolina, re­
development
The Feb. 2, 1989 issue of the New
Burroughs Wellcome Co. in Research
three different patients in which
antibiotic-resistant
nosuppressed patients and has become
ported
strains of two common herpesviruses,
the drug of choice for treating these
CMV resistance to gancicyclovir ap­
cytomegalovirus (CMV) and herpes
infections.
pears to have arisen by three different
of
simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). Of the
It now appears that acyclovir-re­
mechanisms. "One patient was infect­
16 patients reported in the three arti­
sistant strains of HSV are developing
ed with a resistant virus, another was
cles, 15 had AIDS and one was an
among AIDS patients. Researchers
infected with a susceptible virus that
elderly female with lymphocytic leu­
from Boston and San Francisco de­
became resistant, and the third was
kemia.
scribe a 12 cases of severe ulcerations
infected first by a susceptible strain
of the mouth, anus, and fingers in
and later by a genetically distinct, re­
Infection with cytomegalovirus is
a major cause of disability and death
AIDS patients, which failed to re­
among transplant recipients and AIDS
spond to acyclovir and from which they
sistant one. "
Ironically, Foscamet, a drug de­
patients. Over 90% of AIDS patients
were able to culture acyclovir-resist­
ant HSV-2.
to be effective in treating at least some
are infected with CMV and evidence
veloped to treat HIV infection, seems
cases of acyclovir resistant HSV.
of widespread infection is present in
Acyclovir is structurally similar to
93% of autopsies on AIDS patients.
another drug known as gancicyclovir.
As the HIV epidemic continues its
CMV can produce severe disease of
Gancicyclovir, which is presently not
spread, we can look forward to more
the brain, eyes, lungs, liver, stomach,
on the commercial market, is an ex­
and more antibiotic-resistant viruses
and other organs.
perimental drug which is active against
arising in immunodepressed patients.
HSV-2 is the virus which causes
cytomegalovirus. It appears to be ef­
Considering the mutability of HIV it­
genital herpes. It, too, is highly prev­
fective in treating CMV infections of
self, it is only a matter of time before
alent in AIDS patients, especially
the eye and stomach, which are a sig­
AZT-resistant forms of HIV emerge,
homosexuals, and causes recurrent in­
nificant cause of disability in AIDS
if they haven't already. As long as we
fections, which may produce exten­
patients.
refuse to confront the reality of the
sive and persistent ulcers of the geni­
tals or the mouth.
Gancicyclovir is at the center of a
biological holocaust which presently
controversy over a Food and Drug
surrounds us, we are going to continue
The problem with developing an­
Administration decision to require
to find out that the microbes are one
tiviral drugs has always been finding
further studies before approving the
step, or more, ahead of our ability to
a drug which specifically interferes
drug for general distribution. The drug
cope with them.
EIR
February 24, 1989
Economics
© 1989 EIR News Service Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission strictly prohibited.
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