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Article: Curbing the common cold?(research indicates pleconaril reduces severity and duration of colds and possibly other viral infections)(Brief Article)
- Article from:
- Science News
- Article date:
- October 9, 1999
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1999 Science Service, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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A new drug helps fight viruses responsible for the common cold. These pathogens, known as rhinoviruses, need to subtly alter the shape of their outer shell in order to infect cells. The drug, called pleconaril, blocks that shift.
People taking pleconaril did not suffer sore throats and stuffy noses as long as people getting a placebo did, says Frederick G. Hayden of the University of Virginia School of Medicine in Charlottesville. He found that 347 adults with moderate or severe colds suffered for 10.5 days when given pleconaril. The 168 people ...