Effect of 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosyl-E-5-(2-bromovinyl)uracil against herpes simplex virus type 1 infection in immunosuppressed mice.

1-beta-D-Arabinofuranosyl-E-5-(2-bromovinyl)uracil (BV-araU) reduced the mortality rates of (i) 7-week-old, cyclophosphamide-treated, immunosuppressed mice (CYP mice) intraperitoneally infected with a moderately virulent strain of herpes simplex virus type 1 and (ii) 4-week-old CYP mice infected with a less virulent strain at doses of 20 and 50 mg/kg of body weight twice daily and 5 mg/kg, respectively. The degree of efficacy of BV-araU was equivalent to that of acyclovir in 4-week-old CYP mice infected with the less virulent strain. BV-araU (20 mg/kg) suppressed viral growth in various organs of CYP mice.