Protection from lethal influenza virus challenge by oral type 1 interferon

The persistence of highly pathogenic avian influenza within wild bird populations has forged interest in control measures to limit a possible human pandemic. We therefore investigated the efficacy of low dose oral administration of IFN-α as a potential therapy against influenza infection in a murine model. We have identified an optimal low oral dose of IFN-α that when delivered daily as prophylactic therapy protects C57BL/6J mice from a lethal challenge with mouse adapted human influenza virus A/PR/8/34 (H1N1). These results provide strong support for the application of low dose type 1 IFN pretreatment to human influenza control.