1065 ACYCLOVIR (ACV) TREATMENT OF PRIMARY GENITAL HSV-2 INFECTION IN GUINEA PIGS (GPS): EFFECT ON RECURRENCE PATTERNS

Abstract

In humans ACV diminishes the immune response to herpes simplex virus (HSV) and may therefore increase the severity of first recurrences. ACV may also diminish the long-term recurrence pattern and can prevent recurrences when taken prophylactically. To determine the effects on recurrence patterns, oral ACV (5 mg/ml in drinking water) was provided for 21 days beginning 12 hours after intravaginal HSV-2 inoculation in weanling Hartley gps. The severity of initial skin disease was decreased and 6/18 ACV-treated animals exhibited no skin lesions. Vaginal virus titers, however, were similar in both control and ACV treated groups. During the period from 14-21 days, while still receiving ACV, treated gps had similar rates of viral isolation and clinical recurrences which were similar in numbers but clinically milder than those seen in control animals. During ACV treatment blood ACV levels were .35 to 3.8 μg/ml. All HSV isolates remained sensitive to ACV. In the period immediately after ACV was discontinued (day 22-30) drug-treated gps had recurrencs that were similar in number, duration and severity to control animals. Five of the 6 ACV-treated animals that had subclinical initial infection had either asymptomatic viral shedding (1) or clinically apparent disease (4) during this period. Animals followed to day 60 had a similar number of recurrences whether or not they had received ACV. ACV treated animals did not have more severe disease immediately after therapy was discontinued nor a reduction in the number of long-term recurrences.