The utility of a rabbit model of adenovirus ocular infection

Abstract

AbstractAcute adenovirus ocular infections are the most common ocular viral infections worldwide and are associated with community and medical facility epidemics. While not permanently blinding, ocular adenoviral infections are associated with significant patient morbidity, including symptomatic distress with visual disturbances which can last years, and loss of time from school or work. Currently, the treatment of these acute infections is symptomatic due to the lack of an approved antiviral. This symptomatic treatment presents a controversy of whether to treat these viral infections with immunomodulating agents (e.g. topical corticosteroids, NSAIDs, cyclosporine A), which are contraindicated for use in the treatment of the other major external ocular viral infection, HSV‐1 epithelial keratitis. The adenovirus type 5 (Ad5)/New Zealand White (NZW) rabbit ocular model has provided data for potential clinical guidelines for the use of immunomodulating agents in the treatment of adenovirus ocular infections. Moreover, this model has been used extensively to evaluate promising candidate antivirals for adenovirus. Multiple candidate antivirals have been evaluated in vivo using this model, and several have proceeded to human clinical trials. The current presentation will discuss the potential clinical guidelines for the use of immunomodulating agents, present data on potential new topical antiviral agents, discuss the potential combination therapy of an antiviral and immunomodulatory agent in the treatment of adenovirus ocular infections as well as the limitations of the model. Commercial interest