Topical Zinc in the Treatment of Mice Infected Intravaginally with Herpes Genitalis Virus.
Tennican, Patrick *; Carl, Gary *; Frey, Janet *; Thies, Cole +; Chvapil, Milos ++
[Miscellaneous]
Experimental Biology & Medicine.
164(4):593-597, September 1980.
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The course of the disease, HSV-2, inoculated intravaginally in immature mice was ascertained by studying the incidence of vaginitis, encephalitis, and mortality rate. The therapeutic efficacy of various zinc containing medications administered topically 4 hr after infection was studied. It was found that intravaginally applied zinc medicated collagen sponge containing 50 [mu]g zinc sulfate (7H2O) in acetate buffer, pH 5.5, significantly improved the course of disease and was significantly more effective than zinc administered intravaginally in a cream base. A solution of zinc sulfate administered as a douche was as effective as the comparable concentration of zinc applied through resilient collagen sponge. We conclude that topical administration of zinc through resilient collagen sponge or as a douche used shortly after the infection significantly inhibits the course of the herpes genitalis infection in the mouse.
(C)1980Sage Publications