title: Protection and therapy of experimental herpesvirus infections in mice with immunomodulating Propionibacterium avidum KP-40 and/or acyclovir.
abstract: Protection and therapy of NMRI mice with experimental herpes virus (HSV-1) encephalitis were investigated using heat-killed, lyophilized Propionibacterium avidum KP-40 (PA) and/or the herpes-specific antiviral substance acyclovir (ACL) as immunomodifier. Poly I:C as a potent macrophage activator was used as a reference compound for PA. Survival of experimental HSV-1 infections during 18 days following the inoculation of viruses was used for the evaluation of the effects of immunotherapy. The applied model of HSV-1 infection resulted in a mortality of about 87% of NMRI mice at 7-16 days following the inoculation of the virus. Treatment with ACL or Poly I:C at the day of HSV-1 infection resulted in a lowering of the mortality rate to about 40% (p < 0.05). PA applied 4 days before HSV-1 infection lowered the mortality rate to 27%, while treatment 2 days after infection was less effective and the mortality rate reached 44%, although still being significantly lower (p < 0.01) than in untreated controls. A combined treatment with ACL and PA on the day of HSV-1 infection protected 93% of animals against the development of clinically detectable herpesvirus encephalitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, University Medical School, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kobus
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Luczak
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sobiczewska
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Szmigielski
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jeljaszewicz
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pulverer
mesh_terms: D000212:Acyclovir / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D018792:Encephalitis, Viral / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D007167:Immunotherapy; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D011070:Poly I-C / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011424:Propionibacterium / Q000276:immunology*; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D011070:Poly I-C; D000212:Acyclovir