Study of prophylaxis by didecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride against herpes simplex virus infection in Nude mice

Primary or recurrent viral infections, especially by herpetoviridae, with viraemias - after organ transplants, for example - are a serious medical problem which can affect the prognosis for survival. An experimental protocol for the prevention of infection by a herpes simplex virus type 1 was applied to Nude mice infected via inhalation. It suggests the possibility of appreciably limiting viral infection by the parenteral use of didecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride. The results are encouraging and could lead to further experimental studies to prove the efficiency of this molecule whose level of toxicity can be disassociated from its antiviral action to limit the infections by other enveloped viruses. (C) 1999 Academie des sciences / Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.