Acetylsalicylic acid reduces viral shedding induced by thermal stress.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of acetylsalicylic acid on ocular shedding of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1).


METHODS
Mice that were latent for the McKrae strain of HSV-1 were treated with acetylsalicylic acid, a nonspecific inhibitor of cyclooxygenases, either prophylactically or at the time of heat stress-induced viral reactivation. The effect of the drug on viral shedding in the tear film, infectious virus in the cornea and trigeminal ganglion, and viral DNA in the cornea and trigeminal ganglion was determined.


RESULTS
Acetylsalicylic acid inhibited heat stress-induced shedding of virus in the tears and reduced the numbers of corneal and trigeminal ganglion homogenates containing virus. Intraperitoneal therapeutic and oral prophylactic plus therapeutic treatments were similar in their ability to inhibit reactivation.


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate that a cyclooxygenase inhibitor such as acetylsalicylic acid can reduce recurrent viral infection in mice. These findings may implicate prostaglandins as agents in the viral reactivation process and suggest that therapy to suppress viral reactivation using nontoxic inhibitors of prostaglandin synthesis may be effective in humans.
Gebhardt
Bryan M
BM
Lions Eye Research Laboratories, LSU Eye Center, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, 2020 Gravier Street, New Orleans, LA 70112-2234, USA. bgebha@lsuhsc.edu
Varnell
Emily D
ED
Kaufman
Herbert E
HE
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001241:Aspirin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001831:Body Temperature; D003315:Cornea / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000378:metabolism; D005123:Eye / Q000821:virology*; D018882:Heat Stress Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology*; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000187:drug effects*; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D016849:Keratitis, Herpetic / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D012668:Trigeminal Ganglion / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D014775:Virus Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D017735:Virus Latency; D017201:Virus Shedding / Q000187:drug effects*
D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; D004279:DNA, Viral; D001241:Aspirin