Topical use of 5% acyclovir cream for the treatment of occult and verrucous equine sarcoids: a double-blinded placebo-controlled study

Bibliographic Details
Title: Topical use of 5% acyclovir cream for the treatment of occult and verrucous equine sarcoids: a double-blinded placebo-controlled study
Authors: Maarten Haspeslagh, Mireia Jordana Garcia, Lieven E. M. Vlaminck, Ann M. Martens
Source: BMC Veterinary Research, Vol 13, Iss 1, Pp 1-6 (2017)
Publisher Information: BMC, 2017.
Publication Year: 2017
Collection: LCC:Veterinary medicine
Subject Terms: Acyclovir, Bovine Papillomavirus, Equine Sarcoid, Topical treatment, Veterinary medicine, SF600-1100
More Details: Abstract Background Previous studies mention the use of topical acyclovir for the treatment of equine sarcoids. Success rates vary and since the bovine papillomavirus (BPV) lacks the presence of a kinase necessary to activate acyclovir, there is no proof of its activity against equine sarcoids. Results Twenty-four equine sarcoids were topically treated with acyclovir cream and 25 with a placebo. Both creams were applied twice daily during 6 months. Before the start of the treatment and further on a monthly basis, photographs and swabs were obtained. On the photographs, sarcoid diameter and surface area were measured and verrucosity of the tumours was quantified using a visual analog scale (VAS). The swabs were analysed by PCR for the presence of BPV DNA and positivity rates were calculated as the number of positive swabs divided by the total number of swabs for each treatment group at each time point. Success rates were not significantly different between both treatment groups. There was also no significant effect of treatment on sarcoid diameter, surface area or VAS score. For the swabs, a significantly higher BPV positivity rate was found for acyclovir treated tumours compared to placebo treated sarcoids only after 1 month of treatment and not at other time points. Conclusions None of the results indicate that treatment with acyclovir yields any better results compared to placebo treatment.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 1746-6148
Relation: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12917-017-1215-0; https://doaj.org/toc/1746-6148
DOI: 10.1186/s12917-017-1215-0
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/e18455badcc54af5a6adaea3fb81ff7f
Accession Number: edsdoj.18455badcc54af5a6adaea3fb81ff7f
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
More Details
ISSN:17466148
DOI:10.1186/s12917-017-1215-0
Published in:BMC Veterinary Research
Language:English