THE EFFECT OF SODIUM VALPROATE ON MEASLES VIRUS, POLIOVIRUS TYPE 1 an‎d COXSACKIEVIRUS B3 REPLICATION

Sodium valproate, an anticonvulsant drug, has been reported to stimulate the replication of human immunodeficiency virus Type 1 and human cytomegalovirus. Objective: In view of the fact that epileptic patients receiving this drug may become infected with. different viruses, we investigated the effect of sodium valproate on the replication of other viruses especially those affecting neuronal tissues, such as measles virus. The viruses used in our studies include measles virus, poliovirus Type 1 and coxsackievirus B3. Methods: The replication of measles virus was studied by plaque assay and that for poliovirus Type 1 and coxsackievirus B3 was performed by quantal response method. Electron microscopy was used in evaluation of cell monolayers infected with measles virus. Results: The results obtained showed that sodium valproate stimulated both measles virus (p < 0.001) and poliovirus Type 1 replication (p<0.01) and had no effect on coxsackievirus B3 infectivity. Electron microscopic studies showed that measles virus nucleocapsids were more abundant in drug treated infected cells as compared with untreated infected control monolayers. The sparsity of intranuclear and intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies was also a prominent feature of cells exposed to the drug and infected with measles virus. Conclusion: The present preliminary investigation should be assessed by appropriate in vivo studies. Until then caution is to be exercised in prescribing sodium valproate to the patients with neurologic disorders due to infection with measles virus. This is particularly important with respect to the developing countries where measles infection is of higher incidence and severity.