Study of the Activity of Antiviral Drugs Against the Causative Agent of Chikungunya Fever in Cell Culture

Сhikungunya  virus (CHIKV) is a member of the Flavivirus genus, Flaviviridae family. It belongs to the zoonotic arbovirus infections transmitted by mosquitoes of the genus Aedes. In humans, this flavivirus causes a disease known as Сhikungunya fever, etymologically related to yellow fever, dengue, West Nile, and Zika. There is no specific treatment for Сhikungunya fever, as there is no vaccine or preventive measures to date. A comparative analysis of the effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs, interferon inducers and two classes of interferon α-, β-, and γ-showed that interferon drugs effectively inhibit the reproduction of CHIKV in the Vero cell culture in a wide range of concentrations. Chemotherapy drugs Triazavirin® and Ingavirin®  did not affect the reproduction of CHIKV strain FN198/66 in Vero cell culture. Ribavirin® at a concentration of 100 µg/ml almost completely suppressed the reproduction of the CHIKV virus when the drug was introduced into the culture medium both before and after infection.