CLASS-SPECIFIC ANTIBODY-RESPONSE IN ACYCLOVIR-TREATED AND ADENINE ARABINOSIDE-TREATED PATIENTS WITH PRIMARY GENITAL HERPES-SIMPLEX VIRUS-INFECTION

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) class-specific antibody responses after pri mary genital herpes infection were evaluated with an enzyme-linked imm unosorbent assay (ELISA) in 16 patients treated with acyclovir (ACV), given orally, and 17 patients treated with adenine arabinoside (Ara-A) , given topically. ACV significantly suppressed the levels of IgM, IgA , and IgG. In the ACV-treated patients, IgM and IgG were not detected in 4 of the 16 and in 1 of the 16 patients, respectively. We must take into account this suppressive effect of ACV on antibody responses, es pecially on the IgM response, when serodiagnosis of HSV infection is m ade.