Immunomodulator-lnduced Resistance Against Herpes Simplex Virus

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Abstract
Adult mice were protected from mortality after i.p. infection with herpes simplex virus type 2 by prophylactic treatment with the immunomodulators, Corynebacterium parvum, C. acnes or pyran. Treatment with pyran, but not with the corynebacteria, also increased the survival time of mice after local genital (intravaginal) infection with the virus. Treatment with levamisole or glycogen was ineffective against virus infection. Levamisole and C. acnes were also ineffective against herpes simplex virus infection in suckling and weanling mice, while pyran was slightly effective. Silica treatment, to suppress macrophage function in vivo, increased the susceptibility of mice to herpes simplex infection by 10-100 fold. The increased susceptibility induced by silica was associated with early, sustained viral replication in the visceral organs. Although silica treatment markedly suppressed host resistance to herpes virus, this treatment did not inhibit the antiviral activity of pyran or C. acnes.