Susceptibility of clinical strains of herpes simplex virus to three nucleoside analogues.

The susceptibility of clinical isolates of herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV1) (58 strains) and 2 (HSV2) (17 strains) from the Centre Hospitalier et Universitaire de Nancy to three nucleoside analogues was compared by the dye uptake method. As expected, all strains of HSV2 were resistant to brovavir or sorivudine. Aciclovir and penciclovir activities were comparable; 2 strains of HSV1 were resistant to these two compounds. Four strains isolated from immunocompromised patients gave different results with brovavir as compared to aciclovir; resistance to aciclovir (1 strain of HSV1) did not correlate with resistance to brovavir (3 strains of HSV1). Following up antiviral susceptibility is of interest for the detection of resistant strains in immunocompromised patients receiving prophylactic aciclovir.