Sensitivity of herpes simplex virus, vaccinia virus, and adenoviruses to deoxyribonucleic acid inhibitors and thiosemicarbazones in a plaque suppression test.

Herpes simplex and vaccinia viruses and adenovirus types 1, 2, 5, and 7 were tested by plaque suppression methods for sensitivity to halogenated deoxyuridines (5-iodo-, 5-bromo-, 5-chloro-, and 5-fluoro-), cytosine arabinoside, isatin-beta-thiosemicarbazone, and N-methylisatin-beta-thiosemicarbazone. After incubation for 12 days in HeLa cell cultures, vaccinia virus plaques were still readily suppressed by deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) inhibitors and thiosemicarbazones. Herpes simplex virus plaques were likewise suppressed by at least three DNA inhibitors. Adenovirus plaques were not suppressed by DNA inhibitors or thiosemicarbazones. 5-Fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine could not be shown to have any antiviral activity, but it did produce a substantial lethal action on the cells.