PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Ribavirin is a synthetic nucleoside derivative of the antibiotic pyrazomycin. It shows broad spectrum antiviral activity against DNA and RNA viruses and is licensed by the FDA for its use in aerosol form for the treatment of respiratory syncytial viral (RSV) infections.
TRIAL RESULTS: Spector et al. reported on a placebo-controlled study of ARC patients. 18 subjects were treated with 60mg/d ribavirin, 19 were treated with 800mg/d and 18 received placebo. At the conclusion of the 16 week trial, no difference in HIV isolation, time to positive culture or HIV p24 Ag were detected in the treated versus