Activity of amantadine, rimantadine, and ribavirin against swine influenza in mice and squirrel monkeys.

Amantadine, rimantadine, and ribavirin given orally, either prophylactically or therapeutically, reduced mortality and increased the survival time of 3-week-old mice infected with the type A/New Jersey/8/76 (swine) strain of influenza virus. In addition, amantadine and rimantadine, administered therapeutically, increased the rate of virus clearance from lungs of infected mice. Administration of amantadine either before or after virus challenge ameliorated the illness in squirrel monkeys; when administered therapeutically, it appeared to eliminate virus shedding from infected monkeys within hours after therapy was initiated.