Effect of acyclovir on genital infection with herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 in the guinea pig.
The pathogenesis of genital infection with three different strains of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and three strains of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) was compared in the guinea pig. Strain differences in severity of clinical disease and mortality were noted. HSV-1 strains generally produced milder disease than HSV-2. Both HSV-1 and HSV-2 infections resulted in acute and chronic changes in the cervix. Virus recovery during latent infection was more frequently obtained from the spinal cord in HSV-1-infected animals and from lumbosacral ganglia in HSV-2-infected animals. Systemic treatment with acyclovir, after the onset of clinical disease, had minimal, if any, effect on genital infection with HSV-1 (NYU-78), but similar treatment of HSV-2 (WT-186) infection resulted in decreased lesion scores, paralysis, and mortality during acute infection. A reduction in virus isolations from lumbosacral ganglia was noted during both acute and latent infection with HSV-2 (WT-186) in the acyclovir-treated groups.
D000212:Acyclovir; D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000382:microbiology; D006147:Guanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006558:Herpes Genitalis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000382:microbiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014626:Vaginal Smears
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D006147:Guanine; D000212:Acyclovir