Abstract
Recent studies have suggested that the production of antibodies to specific herpes simplex virus (HSV) polypeptides can modify recurrent disease and be affected by ACV therapy. We examined the sequential response to HSV-2 polypeptides and the production of neutralizing antibodies following intravaginal HSV-2 inoculation of weanling Hartley guinea pigs. This response was then compared to simultaneously infected animals who received ACV (5 mg/ml in drinking water) for 21 days. The initial response, seen at 14 days in both ACV and control animals, was directed predominantly at two nonglycosylated proteins of MW 40 and 43K. The response to the major nucleocapsid protein (146K) was also seen initially on day 14 in the majority (9/14) of control animals but not until day 21 (7/16), and in some cases day 28, in ACV recipients. The response to glycoprotein B and a number of other proteins between 70 and 90K was also delayed in ACV recipients. By day 60 there was no apparent difference between ACV and control animals. Similarily, the mean titer of neutralizing antibody was significantly lower in ACV animals compared to controls on day 14 (2.8. vs. 5.8) (P <.025) and 21 (10.5 vs 29.5) (p<.05); however, by day 28 while titers were still lower (18.2 vs. 35.5) the difference was no longer significant. Control guinea pigs intravaginally inoculated with HSV-2 develop a characteristic antibody response while ACV-treated, HSV-2 infected guinea pigs developed similar but delayed antibody response.
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Bernstein, D., Stanberry, L., Kappes, J. et al. 1066 ANTIBODY RESPONSE OF HSV-2 GENITALLY INFECTED GUINEA PIGS: EFFECT OF ACYCLOVIR (ACV). Pediatr Res 19, 288 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198504000-01096
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198504000-01096