ribavirin
Meaning of ribavirin: Ribavirin is a broad spectrum antiviral medication best known for treating respiratory syncytial virus infection and for use in combination regimens against hepatitis C.
Definition of ribavirin
Ribavirin is a synthetic antiviral medication that resembles a natural building block of RNA closely enough to interfere with how certain viruses copy their genetic material, disrupting viral replication inside infected cells. It has broad activity against several types of viruses rather than targeting just one.
Ribavirin is most established as an inhaled treatment for severe respiratory syncytial virus infection of the lungs, particularly in infants and young children, delivered through a specialized nebulizer. It has also long been used as an oral component of combination therapy for chronic hepatitis C, generally paired with another antiviral drug rather than given alone.
Ribavirin is not effective against every virus, and its use is limited by potential side effects, including a reduction in red blood cell counts, which is monitored during treatment.
Used in a sentence
Ribavirin was added to the antiviral regimen to treat the patient's chronic hepatitis C infection.
Good to know
Ribavirin is rarely effective as a single agent and is almost always paired with another antiviral drug, a detail that distinguishes its clinical use from antivirals that work independently.