title: Development of a quantitative real-time TaqMan PCR assay for testing the susceptibility of feline herpesvirus-1 to antiviral compounds.
abstract: Feline herpesvirus-1 (FHV-1) is considered as the most common viral infection of domestic cats worldwide. It causes a disease characterized by upper respiratory and ocular clinical signs. Several attempts are currently underway to develop antiviral chemotherapy for treating FHV-1 infections. The availability of a rapid quantitative method for detecting FHV-1 would greatly facilitate prompt therapy, and hence enhance the success of any antiviral regime. In this study, a TaqMan real-time PCR assay was established for measuring FHV-1 DNA levels in culture supernatants. This assay was shown to be highly specific, reproducible and allows quantitation over a range of 2 to 2 x 10(8) copies per reaction. The assay was then applied to measure the reduction of FHV-1 DNA levels in the presence of increasing concentrations of acyclovir (ACV), penciclovir (PCV) and cidofovir (CDV). The 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC(50s)) obtained with the B927 laboratory strain of FHV-1 were 15.8 microM for ACV, 7.93 microM for CDV and 1.2 microM for PCV. The assay described here is sensitive, time-saving and does not involve prior titration of virus stocks or monitoring virus-induced cytopathic effects. Therefore, it is suitable for routine anti-FHV-1 drug susceptibility testing in veterinary clinics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ES, UK.
authors.forename: Islam T M
authors.initials: IT
authors.lastname: Hussein
authors.forename: Hugh J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Field
mesh_terms: D000212:Acyclovir / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002415:Cats; D002460:Cell Line; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D007700:Kinetics; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000379:methods*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018140:Varicellovirus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000212:Acyclovir