ANIMAL MODELS IN PRECLINICAL EVALUATION OF ANTIVIRAL DRUGS AGAINST HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS

摘要

: The Herpesviridae family includes pathogens infecting animals as well as humans. The symptomatology associated to these infections varies from mild skin vesicular lesions to severe illness, like viral encephalitis. Nowadays, the only available approach to control them consists of antiviral chemotherapy. The methodology to search for antiviral compounds involves both in vitro and in vivo pharmacologic assays. The in vivo assays are carried out in animal models and give exclusive information about host responses to viral infection. The present work reviews the up-to-date knowledge about in vivo models used in preclinical evaluation of both HSV-1 and HSV-2 inhibitors.