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British Journal of Experimental Pathology logoLink to British Journal of Experimental Pathology
. 1982 Dec;63(6):625–632.

Therapeutic effect of acyclovir (ZoviraxTM) on the pathogenesis of chronic murine cytomegalovirus infection in the immunodeficient nude mouse.

P Carthew
PMCID: PMC2040705  PMID: 6295433

Abstract

The ability of acyclovir (ZoviraxTM) to influence the outcome of chronic cytomegalovirus infection in the nude mouse has been studied over a period of 3 weeks. Nude mice infected with a low dose of murine cytomegalovirus develop a chronic progressive disease which is characterized by typical lesions in the lung, the liver, salivary glands and many other organs. After 18-21 days most nude mice die of pneumonia and hepatitis. When acyclovir (ZoviraxTM) was administered s.c. twice daily, starting 1 day after the infectious dose of virus, a marked improvement was noted. No nude mice given the drug died in the 21-day period and the number of lesions to the lung, liver and salivary glands was reduced quantitatively by a highly significant amount.

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Selected References

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