Antiviral protein may protect against Ebola and Marburg virus
March 24, 2007 by Grace Ibay
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
Zinc finger proteins come to the rescue once again.
The zinc finger antiviral protein (ZAP) capable of inhibiting Moloney murine leukemia virus and Sindbis virus replication, are now being reported as effective in inhibiting Ebola and Marburg virus infections. German researchers will publish the results in the March 2007 issue of the Journal of Virology.
Ebola and Marburg viruses cause severe hemorrhagic fever in humans and nonhuman primates, and have mortality rates as high as 90%. Currenly there are no vaccines or therapy for treating infected patients, so this research should lend some important breakthroughs.
eMaxHealth has more.
Tags: Ebola, Marburg, viruses, zinc finger proteins, molecular biology, illness, health, medicine
