herpes
Effects of topical unoprostone and latanoprost on acute and recurrent herpetic keratitis in the rabbit.

Kaufman HE, Varnell ED, Toshida H, Kanai A, Thompson HW, Bazan NG.

Louisiana State University Eye Center, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112, USA.

PURPOSE: To determine the effect of the topical ocular hypotensive drug, isopropyl unoprostone, a docosanoid molecule with very weak prostaglandin activity, on herpes keratitis in the rabbit eye. METHODS: For acute disease, rabbit corneas inoculated with the corticosteroid-sensitive F(MP)E strain of herpes simplex virus type 1 were treated with various combinations of 0.12% isopropyl unoprostone, latanoprost, trifluridine, benzalkonium chloride 0.02%, dexamethasone sodium phosphate, ketorolac tromethamine, or saline solution beginning 1 day after infection. Severity of keratitis was evaluated in a masked manner. For recurrent disease, rabbit corneas infected with McKrae strain herpes simplex virus type 1 were treated with unoprostone or saline solution on postinfection days 25 to 42, and the presence or absence of lesions was recorded. RESULTS: Eyes treated with unoprostone showed significantly less severe disease than saline-treated or latanoprost-treated eyes during acute infection. Unoprostone-treated and saline-treated eyes showed no significant difference in the frequency of recurrent lesions. Eyes treated with latanoprost and/or dexamethasone, separately or in combination, showed increased severity of acute herpes simplex virus keratitis, whereas benzalkonium chloride 0.02%--treated eyes showed no significant difference, compared with saline treatment. Trifluridine resulted in rapid healing. CONCLUSIONS: Unoprostone did not increase the severity or recurrence rate of herpes simplex virus keratitis. Unoprostone requires twice-a-day administration, compared with once-a-day for latanoprost, and unoprostone lowers intraocular pressure less than latanoprost. Nevertheless, unoprostone's superior safety profile may make its use advantageous. Benzalkonium chloride alone did not make the keratitis worse.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11336941&dopt=Abstract herpes medicine



herpes
Antiviral activity of Australian tea tree oil and eucalyptus oil against herpes simplex virus in cell culture.

Schnitzler P, Schon K, Reichling J.

Department of Virology, Hygiene Institute, University of Heidelberg, Germany.

The antiviral effect of Australian tea tree oil (TTO) and eucalyptus oil (EUO) against herpes simplex virus was examined. Cytotoxicity of TTO and EUO was evaluated in a standard neutral red dye uptake assay. Toxicity of TTO and EUO was moderate for RC-37 cells and approached 50% (TC50) at concentrations of 0.006% and 0.03%, respectively. Antiviral activity of TTO and EUO against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) was tested in vitro on RC-37 cells using a plaque reduction assay. The 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of TTO for herpes simplex virus plaque formation was 0.0009% and 0.0008% and the IC50 of EUO was determined at 0.009% and 0.008% for HSV-1 and HSV-2, respectively. Australian tea tree oil exhibited high levels of virucidal activity against HSV-1 and HSV-2 in viral suspension tests. At noncytotoxic concentrations of TTO plaque formation was reduced by 98.2% and 93.0% for HSV-1 and HSV-2, respectively. Noncytotoxic concentrations of EUO reduced virus titers by 57.9% for HSV-1 and 75.4% for HSV-2. Virus titers were reduced significantly with TTO, whereas EUO exhibited distinct but less antiviral activity. In order to determine the mode of antiviral action of both essential oils, either cells were pretreated before viral infection or viruses were incubated with TTO or EUO before infection, during adsorption or after penetration into the host cells. Plaque formation was clearly reduced, when herpes simplex virus was pretreated with the essential oils prior to adsorption. These results indicate that TTO and EUO affect the virus before or during adsorption, but not after penetration into the host cell. Thus TTO and EUO are capable to exert a direct antiviral effect on HSV. Although the active antiherpes components of Australian tea tree and eucalyptus oil are not yet known, their possible application as antiviral agents in recurrent herpes infection is promising.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11338678&dopt=Abstract herpes medicine



herpes
Cutting edge: a NK complex-linked locus governs acute versus latent herpes simplex virus infection of neurons.

Pereira RA, Scalzo A, Simmons A.

Pediatric Virology and Sealy Center for Vaccine Development, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA.

Herpes simplex causes latent infections that periodically reactivate. Specific immunization attempts are failing to control herpes, prompting a fresh look at which host responses predominate. We report a NK complex-linked genetic locus, Rhs1, whose alleles influence the magnitude of experimental herpes simplex. Rhs1 provided rapid control of primary infection but caused a reciprocal increase in the number of latently infected neurons. Thus, in principle, establishment of latency is a consequence of efficient front line defense against herpes virus infection. Based on conservation between human and mouse NK complexes, the data predict the presence of a human Rhs1 orthologue on chromosome 12p12-13.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11342599&dopt=Abstract herpes medicine



herpes
Detection of Epstein-Barr virus, but not human herpes virus 8, DNA in cervical secretions from Swedish women by real-time polymerase chain reaction.

Enbom M, Strand A, Falk KI, Linde A.

Department of Virology, Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control and Microbiology and Tumor Biology Center, Karolinska Institute. malin_enbom hotmail.com

BACKGROUND: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human herpes virus 8 (HHV-8) are two related herpes viruses that may be sexually transmitted. GOAL: To examine the presence of HHV-8 and EBV DNA in the female genital tract. STUDY DESIGN: Real-time polymerase chain reaction systems for quantification of DNA from HHV-8, EBV, and herpes simplex virus type 2 were developed and used for examination of cervical secretions from 112 Swedish women. HHV-8, EBV, and herpes simplex virus type 2 serology was also performed on samples from all subjects. RESULTS: EBV DNA was found in 10 cervical secretion samples, sometimes in high amounts. No cervical secretion or leukocyte sample contained detectable HHV-8 DNA. Antibodies to HHV-8-latent and -lytic antigens were found in 2.7 % and 24% of serum samples, respectively. CONCLUSION: This study supports a possible sexual route of transmission for EBV but not for HHV-8. The new real-time polymerase chain reaction systems could be valuable in future studies of relations between virus load and disease.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11354271&dopt=Abstract herpes medicine



herpes
Epstein-Barr virus-encoded protein kinase BGLF4 mediates hyperphosphorylation of cellular elongation factor 1delta (EF-1delta): EF-1delta is universally modified by conserved protein kinases of herpes viruses in mammalian cells.

Kato K, Kawaguchi Y, Tanaka M, Igarashi M, Yokoyama A, Matsuda G, Kanamori M, Nakajima K, Nishimura Y, Shimojima M, Phung HT, Takahashi E, Hirai K.

Department of Tumor Virology, Division of Virology and Immunology, Medical Research Institute, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45, Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan.

Translation elongation factor 1delta (EF-1delta) is hyperphosphorylated in various mammalian cells infected with alpha-, beta- and gammaherpes viruses and EF-1delta modification is mediated by viral protein kinases, including UL13 of herpes simplex virus type 1 and UL97 of human cytomegalovirus. In this study, the following is reported. (i) BGLF4 encoded by the prototype gammaherpes virus Epstein-Barr virus was purified as a fusion protein that was labelled with [gamma-(32)P]ATP and labelling was eliminated by phosphatase. (ii) The ratio of the hyperphosphorylated form of human EF-1delta was increased both in Sf9 cells after infection with baculoviruses expressing GST-BGLF4 fusion proteins and in COS-7 cells after transfection with a BGLF4 expression plasmid. These results indicate that purified BGLF4 possesses protein kinase activity and mediates EF-1delta hyperphosphorylation. These data also support the hypothesis that the protein kinases that are conserved by herpes viruses universally mediate EF-1delta modification in mammalian cells.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11369891&dopt=Abstract herpes medicine



herpes
Induction of human immunodeficiency virus 1 replication by human herpes virus 8.

Mercader M, Nickoloff BJ, Foreman KE.

Department of Pathology and Skin Cancer Research Laboratories, Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, USA.

BACKGROUND: Human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1)-infected individuals are commonly infected with herpes viruses, including cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus, varicella-zoster virus, and human herpes virus 8 (HHV-8, also known as Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpes virus [KSHV]). Previous studies have demonstrated that coinfection with herpes viruses can modulate HIV-1 replication. This can occur either through direct interaction between the 2 viruses or through secondary effects resulting from the release of cellular factors in response to infection. OBJECTIVE: To investigate HIV-1 replication in the presence and absence of HHV-8. DESIGN AND METHODS: HIV-1 replication was analyzed following culture of HIV-1-infected CD4(+) T cells in the presence of HHV-8 infected B-cell lines or control, uninfected B-cell lines. To confirm and extend the results of these in vitro studies, HIV-1-infected T cells were injected into human skin transplanted onto severe combined immunodeficient mice. The human skin was also injected with purified HHV-8 or phosphate-buffered saline as a control and HIV replication measured in biopsy specimens taken 5 to 8 days later. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrated a significant increase in HIV-1 replication in the presence of HHV-8 in both the in vitro and in vivo model systems. Although the mechanism responsible for HHV-8 induction of HIV-1 replication remains to be identified, the results indicate that these 2 viruses may interact at the molecular level in coinfected patients, resulting in increased HIV-1 viral load.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11371231&dopt=Abstract herpes medicine



herpes
British Co-operative Clinical Group national survey on diagnostic issues surrounding genital herpes. MSSVD Special Interest Group on Genital Herpes and the British Co-operative Clinical Group.

Scoular A, Kinghorn G.

Department of Genitourinary Medicine and Sexual Health, Glasgow Royal Infirmary University NHS Trust.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the current use of diagnostic methods for genital herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection, to determine how information from these tests influences clinical practice, and to identify areas for future guideline development within genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics in the United Kingdom. METHODS: National survey of 173 consultants in UK GUM clinics. RESULTS: Completed questionnaires were returned by 146 (84%) consultants. Cell culture was the first line diagnostic method for 133 (91%) respondents, the remaining 13 (9%) used antigen detection tests. Typing of isolates (HSV-1 or HSV-2) was available in their local laboratory to 109 (75%) clinicians; however, less than two thirds routinely pass this information on to their patients. Although 74 (51%) respondents had access to serological diagnosis, the majority of methods described were non-specific; only three (2%) had access to type specific tests. Only 81 (56%) respondents frequently (> 90% of the time) recommend notification of recent sexual partners of genital herpes patients. CONCLUSIONS: While access to culture based diagnosis is widespread, type specific serology has limited availability. Information on typing of isolates as HSV-1 or 2, although available in three quarters of centres, is underutilized in counselling patients. As HSV type influences both clinical and subclinical reactivation rates and may also affect probability of transmission, this is an important omission. Future guidelines need to address the optimal use of viral typing and new diagnostic tests to optimise health gain; there is also a need for evidence based recommendations about partner notification in genital herpes.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10754945&dopt=Abstract herpes medicine



herpes
Prevention of herpes genitalis by the 'Bulgarian' vaccine F.HSV-2V(PRK): preliminary clinical evidence.

Skinner GR, Davies JA, Dundarov S, Andonov P.

Vaccine Research Trust, 22 Alcester Road, Moseley, Birmingham B13 8BE, UK.

AIM: To examine the antigenic properties of the formalin-inactivated herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) virus-particle vaccine F. HSV-2V(PRK), which has been used therapeutically in Bulgaria for 30 years, and to make preliminary assessment of its potential protective efficacy by a follow-up of vaccinated patients with herpes genitalis. METHODS: Properties of the vaccine were examined by standard immunological laboratory tests. Fifty-five patients at risk of herpes genitalis received 2-4 vaccinations and were monitored during a 6-year follow-up. RESULTS: The vaccine was antigenic in laboratory tests and absorbed neutralizing antibody from hyperimmune rabbit serum against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). In vaccinated patients, there was an overall contraction rate of herpes genitalis of 5.4%. There was no evidence of significant local or generalized adverse effects from vaccination. CONCLUSION: Bulgarian vaccine F.HSV-2V(PRK) may have protective efficacy, which, in association with its apparent safety from our findings and from its clinical use for over 30 years in Bulgaria, suggests that it should be scrutinized by a formal clinical trial.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11063759&dopt=Abstract herpes medicine