Effects of oral treatment with acyclovir and bromovinyldeoxyuridine on the establishment of maintenance of latent herpes simplex virus infection in mice.

Mice infected with herpes simplex virus (HSV) were treated (separately) with the nucleoside analogues acyclovir or bromovinyldeoxyuridine by incorporating the drugs in the drinking water. This method of treatment was found to be effective for both drugs and compared favourably with intraperitoneal injection. Prompt treatment with either compound could prevent the establishment of latent infections but latent infections once established were intractable using prolonged courses of oral administration.