Effect of phosphonoformate on symptomatic genital herpes simplex virus type 2 infection of guinea pigs.

Using a guinea pig model of genital herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 2 infection, phosphonoformate treatment initiated after the onset of symptoms had a therapeutic effect on the outcome of disease. Severity of disease, viral shedding, and HSV-induced cellular changes in vaginal cytology were significantly reduced in drug-treated animals as compared to sham-treated animals, although virus was readily detected in the nervous system of animals from both groups. The percentage of animals harboring latent virus in their dorsal root ganglia was approximately the same in both drug-treated and sham-treated animals. No drug toxicity was found.