title: Combined antiviral effects of acyclovir or bromovinyldeoxyuridine and human immunoglobulin in herpes simplex virus-infected mice.
abstract: Suboptimal dosage regimens of antivirals (acyclovir or bromovinyldeoxyuridine) and human immunoglobulin have been combined in the treatment of hairless mice infected with herpes simplex virus type 1. The aim of this study was to establish how late after infection human immunoglobulin could be given to still be effective and for how long would the protective effect last. The combination of acyclovir or bromovinyldeoxyuridine with passive immunization proved additive or even synergistic depending on the time of immunoglobulin administration and the observation period after infection. When the survival rate of the mice was followed for up to 20 days postinfection, synergistic action seemed to occur with immunoglobulin given as late as 2 or 3 days after infection. When the mice were followed for up to 100 days after infection, however, it turned out that only the immunoglobulin given 4 h after infection led to a synergistic effect with the antivirals. Most of the mice subjected to combined treatment, in contrast to mice treated with the antivirals only, did not develop anti-HSV antibodies. This lack of a specific humoral immune response possibly reflects the rapid inhibition of virus replication early after challenge by the combined treatment, thus preventing the production of a sufficient amount of viral antigen in the body needed for a measurable antibody induction.
mesh_terms: D000212:Acyclovir / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004357:Drug Synergism; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D051379:Mice; D008812:Mice, Hairless
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; C020235:brivudine; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine; D000212:Acyclovir