title: N-Methanocarbathymidine is more effective than acyclovir for treating neonatal herpes simplex virus infection in guinea pigs.
abstract: The outcome of neonatal herpes simplex (HSV) infection, even after therapy with high dose acyclovir (ACV), is not optimum. We therefore evaluated N-Methanocarbathymidine ((N)-MCT) using the guinea pig model of neonatal herpes. Treatment with ACV (60 mg/kg/day) was compared to doses of 1, 5, and 25 mg/kg/day of (N)-MCT initiated 1, 2, or 3 days postinoculation (dpi). Both ACV and (N)-MCT significantly improved survival, but only (N)-MCT significantly reduced the number of animals with symptoms when begun at 1 dpi. When therapy was begun at 2 dpi, only (N)-MCT (1, 5, or 25 mg/kg/day) significantly increased survival. In fact, (N)-MCT improved survival up to 3 dpi, the last time point evaluated. (N)-MCT was highly effective and superior to high dose ACV therapy for the treatment of neonatal herpes in the guinea pig model.
authors.affiliation: Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States. David.Bernstein@cchmc.org
authors.forename: David I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Bernstein
authors.forename: Fernando J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Bravo
authors.forename: Jennifer R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: Julie D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Earwood
authors.forename: Aquilur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rahman
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Glazer
authors.forename: Rhonda D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Cardin
mesh_terms: D000212:Acyclovir / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013936:Thymidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; C469995:(north)-methanocarbathymidine; D013936:Thymidine; D000212:Acyclovir