Evaluation of orally administered valacyclovir in experimentally EHV1-infected ponies

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of valacyclovir against EHV1 in a controlled study. Eight naïve Shetland ponies were inoculated with 106.5 TCID50 of the neuropathogenic strain 03P37. Four ponies were treated with valacyclovir at a dosage of 40 mg/kg bodyweight, 3 times daily, for 5 (n = 2) or 7 (n = 2) consecutive days, while the other four ponies served as untreated controls. The treatment regimen started 1 h before inoculation. Ponies were monitored daily for clinical signs. At 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 14, 17 and 21 days post inoculation (d pi), a nasopharyngeal mucus sample was taken to determine viral shedding. At the same time points, blood was collected and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated to determine viremia. During the treatment, blood samples were collected 6 times daily, i.e. just before valacyclovir administration and 1 h later, to determine the concentration of acyclovir in plasma. Also a nasopharyngeal swab was taken to measure the acyclovir concentration in nasal secretion. No differences could be noticed between valacyclovir-treated and untreated ponies. The clinical signs, the viral shedding and the viremia were similar in both the groups. Plasma acyclovir concentration could be maintained above the EC50-value of EHV1 during 50% of the entire treatment period in valacyclovir-treated ponies. Acyclovir could be detected in nasal swabs at concentrations varying from 50% to 100% of the corresponding plasma concentration.Although sufficiently high acyclovir levels could be reached in plasma and nasal mucus, no effect was seen of the treatment with valacyclovir on clinical signs, viral shedding and viremia of EHV1-infected ponies.