Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Sep 22, 2025 9 hours, 3 minutes ago
Medical News: A Breakthrough in Treating Emerging Viral Threats
Scientists have announced a major breakthrough in fighting three dangerous viruses—Oropouche virus, Rift Valley fever virus, and Dabie bandavirus—that are spreading in different parts of the world. These viruses can cause severe fever, neurological complications, and in some cases, death. Until now, there have been no vaccines or approved treatments to protect people from these infections. But researchers have now found that a compound called 4′-fluorouridine (4′-FlU) can stop these diseases in their tracks, even in advanced stages of infection. According to this
Medical News report, the discovery gives hope for a broad-spectrum antiviral drug that could save lives during outbreaks.
New Drug Shows Powerful Results Against Deadly Viruses
Where the Study Came From
The groundbreaking research was carried out by scientists from Utah State University, Emory Institute for Drug Development, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States. Their focus was to test how effective 4′-FlU could be in both laboratory experiments and mouse models infected with the viruses. The results were remarkable.
How the Drug Works
4′-FlU is a ribonucleoside analog, which means it is a chemical compound designed to interfere with the virus’s ability to copy its genetic material. By disrupting this process, the drug prevents the virus from multiplying. Laboratory tests showed that Oropouche virus was especially sensitive to 4′-FlU, needing only extremely tiny doses to block its growth. The drug was also highly effective against Rift Valley fever virus and Dabie bandavirus, proving to be far more powerful than older antiviral drugs like ribavirin and favipiravir.
Animal Studies Show Remarkable Protection
In mouse studies, animals given the drug before exposure were fully protected against all three viruses. More importantly, even when treatment started days after infection, the drug still worked. For Rift Valley fever, treatment one or two days after infection saved up to 90% of the animals. For Dabie bandavirus, starting treatment as late as five days after infection—when the mice were already very sick—still rescued over half of them. With Oropouche virus, even animals treated at the last stage of disease had survival rates as high as 70%. These results suggest the drug could be effective for real patients who usually only seek treatment after symptoms appear.
Why This Matters
Oropouche outbreaks are rising fast across South and Central America, with thousands of cases and reports of birth defects and brain complications. Rift Valley fever continues to threaten both humans and livestock in Africa, and Dabie bandavirus—also called severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome—has spread across Asia with fatality rates as high as 30%. The discovery of a single drug that can treat all three deadly viruses is extremely significant.&
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Looking Ahead
The study highlights the urgent need for drugs that can be quickly deployed in outbreak regions. While more testing in larger animals and eventually humans is required, 4′-FlU shows the potential to become a lifesaving treatment. Experts say its broad effectiveness makes it one of the most promising antiviral candidates in recent years. The conclusion is clear—developing and stockpiling such drugs could change the course of future epidemics and protect global health in ways we have not seen before.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: mBio.
https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mbio.01467-25
For the latest on new antivirals, keep on logging to Thailand
Medical News.
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https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/thailand-medical-study-highlights-potential-of-khamin-oi-extracts-against-coronavirus-oc43
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