IDU Therapy of Herpes Simplex

To date, there has been no well-documented description of effective therapy for any "true" viral disease, although the Chlamydozoaceae, the very large viruses, are sensitive to ordinary broad-spectrum antibiotics. To be sure, many agents, such as specific antibody or interferon, prevent the appearance of viral disease in vitro and in vivo. None of these, however, has cured or improved viral disease once it was present. Present therapy of herpes simplex keratitis with debriding agents, though helpful, is by no means uniformly satisfactory and does not eliminate virus.¹

This communication will report the use of a drug, 5-iodo-2'-deoxyuridine (IDU), a viral antibiotic which cures or ameliorates experimental herpes simplex keratitis,² even after the keratitis is extensive and severe.

Methods and Materials  The corneas of albino rabbits were traumatized by 3 interlocking circles in the central cornea made with a 5 mm. trephine set to a depth of 0.05 mm.