Efficacy of (E) -5- (2-bromovinyl) - and 5-vinyl-1-beta-D-arabinofuranosyluracil against acute herpes simplex virus keratitis and the establishment of latency: comparison with acyclovir and bromovinyldeoxyuridine
Rajcáni, J.; Reefschläger, J.
Acta Virologica 31(4): 329-339
1987
ISSN/ISBN: 0001-723X PMID: 2892382 Document Number: 293166
Four nucleoside analogues acyclovir [9-(2-hydroxyethoxymethyl)guanine], bromovinyldeoxyuridine [(E)-5-(2-bromovinyl)-2-deoxyuridine], vinylarauracil [5-vinyl-1-.beta.-D-arabinofuranosyluracil] and bromovinylarauracil [(E)-5-(2-bromovinyl)-1-.beta.-D-arabinofuranosyluracil] were compared in the therapy of acute keratitis induced in the rabbit cornea by inoculation of the KUPKA strain of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). In comparison to placebo-treated animals, the drugs reduced the mean plaque counts in conjunctival swabs as follows: acyclovir to 0.16-1.73%, bromovinyldeoxyuridine to 0.02-0.25%, vinylarauracil to 0.55-5.96% and bromovinylarauracil to 0.12-3.39% of control values. Latency was established to a most limited extent in 1 or 2 out of 5 rabbits treated with vinylarauracil or bromovinylarauracil, respectively. One or 6 out of 84 or 98 explanted ganglion fragments (1.3 or 6%) were positive for HSV-1 as compared to 72 fragments out of 173 (43%) from placebo-treated rabbits. Acyclovir and bromovinyldeoxyuridine completely prevented latency.