Short-term treatment With a potent topical corticosteroid of an acute ocular adenoviral infection in the New Zealand white rabbit.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the effect of short-term topical therapy with 1% prednisolone acetate (PA) on normal immune adenoviral clearance in the rabbit ocular model.


METHODS
Thirty rabbits were topically inoculated in both eyes with adenovirus type 5 (Ad5). On day 1, the rabbits were divided into three topical treatment groups: 1% PA four times daily for 3 days, 1% PA four times daily for 5 days, control (artificial tears) four times daily for 5 days. Eyes were cultured for virus on days 0, 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 14.


RESULTS
Compared with the control group, treatment with 1% PA for 3 or 5 days significantly increased the total and daily number of Ad5-positive cultures from days 7 to 14, prolonged the duration of Ad5 shedding, and increased the mean combined Ad5 titer from days 1 to 5. In addition, treatment with 1% PA for 5 days increased the mean combined Ad5 titer from days 7 to 14.


CONCLUSIONS
Treatment of an ocular adenoviral infection with 1% PA for as little as four times daily for 3 days significantly enhanced adenoviral replication compared with the control group. Short-term corticosteroid treatment of acute adenoviral ocular infections with 1% PA should be used judiciously.
Romanowski
E G
EG
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
Yates
K A
KA
Gordon
Y J
YJ
D000208:Acute Disease; D000258:Adenovirus Infections, Human / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D000260:Adenoviruses, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D000287:Administration, Topical; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000821:virology; D003236:Conjunctivitis, Viral / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011355:Prodrugs / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011817:Rabbits; D014776:Virus Cultivation; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects; D017201:Virus Shedding / Q000187:drug effects
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D011355:Prodrugs; C009935:prednisolone acetate; D011239:Prednisolone