Interaction of adenine arabinoside and host defense factors in experimental infections due to Herpesvirus hominis.

The role of host immune functions in relation to the antiviral effects of adenine arabinoside (ara-A) and/or humoral antibodies in Herpesvirus hominis infection was studied in four different mouse models (newborn Swiss mice, three-week-old Swiss mice, athymic nude [nu/nu] mice, and phenotypically normal [nu/+] littermates of nude mice). Although the overall beneficial effects afforded by the administration of ara-A and/or humoral antibodies were similar, the degree of protection varied among the four host systems. The data indicate that host defense factors play an important role in modulating the effect of humoral antibodies and/or an antiviral agent. Combined use of ara-A and humoral antibodies resulted in enhanced protection against H. hominis infection. Our data suggest that control of viral infection, particularly in compromised hosts, may require chemoimmunotherapy.