title: Evaluation of orally administered famciclovir in cats experimentally infected with feline herpesvirus type-1.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate orally administered famciclovir for treatment of cats with experimentally induced disease attributable to feline herpesvirus type-1 (FHV-1).
  
  
  METHODS
  16 nonvaccinated specific-pathogen-free cats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cats were treated orally with famciclovir (90 mg/kg; n = 10) or a similar volume of lactose (400 mg; 6) 3 times/d for 21 days. Cats were inoculated with FHV-1 and administered the first treatment dose on day 0. Disease score; weight; results of urinalysis, serum biochemical analysis, and CBC; histologic conjunctivitis score; herpetic DNA shedding; goblet cell density; anti-FHV-1 antibody concentration; and plasma penciclovir concentration were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On days 4 to 18 following inoculation, disease scores were lower in famciclovir-treated cats than in lactose-treated cats. Lactose-treated cats decreased in weight during the first 7 days after inoculation, but famciclovir-treated cats increased in weight throughout the study. Percentage change in weight was greater in famciclovir-treated cats on days 7 and 14 than in lactose-treated cats. Serum globulin concentration was lower on days 3 through 9, conjunctivitis histologic score was lower on day 14, herpetic DNA was shed less frequently throughout the study, goblet cell density was greater on day 21, and circulating anti-FHV-1 antibody concentration at study end was lower in famciclovir-treated cats, compared with these measurements in lactose-treated cats. Approximate peak plasma penciclovir concentration was 2.0 μg/mL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Famciclovir administration improved outcomes for systemic, ophthalmic, clinicopathologic, virologic, and histologic variables in cats experimentally infected with FHV-1. Adjunctive topical mucinomimetic and antimicrobial treatments may also be necessary.
authors.affiliation: K. L. Maddy Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
authors.forename: Sara M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Thomasy
authors.forename: Christine C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Christopher M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Reilly
authors.forename: Philip H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Kass
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Lappin
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Maggs
mesh_terms: D015075:2-Aminopurine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002415:Cats; D000077595:Famciclovir; D006564:Herpesviridae; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D015075:2-Aminopurine; D000077595:Famciclovir