The Evaluation of Topical Intralesional and Systemic Antiviral Agents, Including Interferon and Interferon Inducers, in Experimental Animal Model Viral Skin Infections

摘要

Acyclovir (ACV) was able to prevent the fatal outcome of herpes simplex virus-induced skin infections of the lumbosacral or orofacial area in hairless mice. Topical ACV treatment was more effective than systemic treatment in preventing the evolution of skin lesions. Acute ganglionic infections in the trigeminal ganglia were prevented by ACV, and latent ganglionic infections did not become established when the ACV treatment was initiated 3 h after infection. Serum antibody titers were, on the average, eight times higher in mice which developed latent ganglionic infections after ACV treatment than in mice without evidence of herpes simplex virus latency in ganglia. Reinoculation of ACV-treated mice at a site different from that of the primary inoculation did not lead to the establishment of a second latent infection with the homologous virus type when a latent infection was already present.