[Comparison of therapeutic activity of idoxuridine and acyclovir in experimentally-induced herpetic keratitis in rabbits (author's transl)]

Abstract

Antiherpetic activity of a new antiviral agent, Acyclovir (ACV), was compared with that of Idoxuridine (IDU) in the treatment of keratitis induced in rabbits by type I herpes simplex virus (HSV). After topical application for 5 days, both compounds were well tolerated, but ACV was significantly more effective than IDU. Virological tests demonstrated that virus multiplication continued for a shorter period in eyes treated with ACV than in those of controls, or of animals treated with IDU, but early viral regrowth was possible. Using two HSV markers, seroneutralization and thermal sensitivity of cell culture development, variations were observed in a rabbit treated with IDU and in a control animal also. Epithetial regeneration after treatment was assessed by optical microscopy and by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Epithelial scarring was observed to be almost complete in rabbits treated with IDU. The correlation between therapeutic, virological, and histological results in positive evidence for the use of ACV in HSV-induced ocular lesions.