Antiherpetic Drugs in Equine Medicine.
Since vaccination may not prevent disease, antiherpetic drugs have been investigated for the therapy of several equine herpesviruses. Drug efficacy has been assessed in horses with disease, but most evidence is in vitro, in other species, or empirical. Oral valacyclovir is most often administered in the therapy of equine herpesvirus type-1 (EHV-1) to protect adult horses from equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy, while oral acyclovir is frequently administered for EHV-5 infection in the therapy of equine multinodular pulmonary fibrosis. Other antiherpetic drugs are promising but require further investigation. Several topical drugs are also empirically used in the therapy of equine viral keratitis.
Department of Physiological Sciences, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, 264 McElroy Hall, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA. Electronic address: lk.maxwell@okstate.edu.
Lara K
LK
Maxwell
D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004679:Encephalomyelitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary / Q000821:virology; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D004861:Herpesvirus 1, Equid / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology*; D006736:Horses; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary / Q000821:virology
D000998:Antiviral Agents
Acyclovir; Antiviral; EHV-1; EHV-5; Equine; Herpesvirus; Nucleoside analogs; Valacyclovir