Inhibition of duck hepatitis B virus replication by 2',3'-dideoxy-3'-fluoroguanosine in vitro and in vivo.

The antiviral activity of 2',3'-dideoxy-3'-fluoroguanosine (FdG) or its triphosphate was evaluated in the duck hepatitis B virus (DHBV) system in vitro and in vivo. In primary DHBV-infected hepatocytes FdG results in a dose-dependent inhibition of viral replication with a nearly complete inhibition at a concentration of 1 microM. Also in vivo, FdG treatment of DHBV-infected ducklings reduces DHBV DNA replication by more than 90%. These data demonstrate that FdG is a strong inhibitor of DHBV replication in vitro and in vivo.