title: Susceptibility of recent clinical isolates of herpes simplex virus to 5-ethyl-2'-deoxyuridine: preferential inhibition of herpes simplex virus type 2.
abstract: We examined the in vitro susceptibilities of three reference strains and 41 recent clinical isolates of herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 to 5-ethyl-2'-deoxyuridine. This thymidine analog exerts a type 2-preferential but not a type 2-specific antiviral effect. Utilizing a microtiter assay with BHK-21 cells, we found that the mean (+/- standard deviation) 50% inhibitory dose for herpes simplex virus type 1 isolates was 0.58 +/- 0.30 micrograms/ml as compared with 0.33 +/- 0.20 microgram/ml for herpes simplex virus type 2 isolates. Isolates were typed according to their susceptibilities to (E)-5-(2-bromovinyl)-2'-deoxyuridine and by an indirect fluorescent-antibody technique in which monoclonal antibody combinations were used. A cytotoxicity assay in which the incorporation of [1',2'-3H]deoxyuridine was measured revealed a 50% inhibitory dose of 37.5 micrograms/ml, suggesting a favorable therapeutic index for this compound.
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003588:Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral / Q000187:drug effects; D003857:Deoxyuridine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000998:Antiviral Agents; C022811:edoxudin; D003857:Deoxyuridine