[Interruption of early viremia in patients with epidemic hemorrhagic fever].

Kinetic changes of viremia were observed in 287 patients with epidemic hemorrhagic fever (EHF) in whom ribavirin was administered with a double blind random controlled study by means of virus isolation, indirect immunofluorescence technique and ELISA. The positive rate of viremia was 79.7%, and the positive rate of EHF IgM was 85.0% before treatment. Viremia could be interrupted by ribavirin. In the ribavirin group, the positive rate of viremia decreased, duration of viremia was shortened, viral antigen products, viral titer and EHF IgG level were reduced as compared with the control group. These showed that viremia is very frequent in patients in the febrile phase, and ribavirin is an effective antiviral drug in treatment of EHF during the febrile phase. Dosage of the drug and the course of treatment are discussed.