Patent ID: 6951717

Claim:
A method for the inhibition of transmission of a parainfluenza virus to a cell, comprising contacting the cell with an effective concentration of an isolated peptide consisting of an amino acid sequence of a 16 to 39 amino acid residue region of a parainfluenza virus protein for an effective period of time; wherein said region is identified by an ALLMOTI15, 107x178x4, or PLZIP sequence search motif; wherein said peptide further comprises an amino terminal X, and a carboxy terminal Z in which: X comprises an amino group, an acetyl group, a 9-fluorenylmethoxy-carbonyl group, a hydrophobic group, or a macromolecular carrier group; and Z comprises a carboxyl group, an amido group, a hydrophobic group, or a macromolecular carrier group; and wherein fusion of the virus to the cell is inhibited.