Fig 7.

Repeated treatment with zinc-carrageenan formulations does not increase HSV-2 susceptibility in the mouse model. The indicated gel formulations were delivered intravaginally daily for 7 days to medroxyprogesterone acetate-treated BALB/c mice (n = 20 to 24 per group). Twelve hours after the last gel was applied, mice were challenged with 2 × 10³ PFU of HSV-2 strain G. Mice were examined and scored daily for 19 days. Percent survival over time is shown for each treatment group. There was not a significant difference between each individual gel (D, E, or G; P > 0.096) or the combination of the data from those three gels (P > 0.055) compared to D-PBS or carrageenan gel. A very significant difference (P = 0.0009 or P = 0.0004) was observed when comparing Gynol versus D-PBS or carrageenan, respectively.