Susceptibilities of phosphonoacetic acid and acyclovir resistant varicella-zoster virus mutants to 9-beta-arabinofuranosyladenine and 1-beta-arabinofuranosylcytosine.

The DNA polymerase activity, and susceptibilities to 9-beta-D-arabinofuranosyladenine(ara-A) and 1-beta-arabinofuranosylcytosine(ara-C) of a phosphonoacetic acid resistant mutant (PAA-R) of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) selected in the presence of PAA were examined. The DNA polymerase activity of PAA-R was inhibited less than that of the parent strain by PAA in vitro. PAA-R was resistant to acyclovir and also to both ara-A and ara-C. The susceptibilities to ara-A and ara-C of four acyclovir resistant mutants selected in the presence of acyclovir, and also resistant to PAA, were examined. Two variants were resistant, one was slightly resistant, and one was sensitive to both drugs. These cross-resistances and susceptibilities of VZV variants to PAA, ACV, ara-A and ara-C should be considered in chemotherapy of VZV infections.