Hidden in plain sight: Well-known drug could yield new treatment for herpes viruses

(University of Utah Health Sciences) In a search for new antiviral drugs, University of Utah scientists found that a common heart failure medicine, spironolactone, has an unexpected ability to block Epstein Barr virus (EBV). The drug blocks a key step in viral infection common to all herpesviruses, revealing that it could be developed into a new class of drug to treat infections caused by herpesviruses including herpes, shingles, and mono. The research was published in PNAS.
Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases - Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: news