Attempted Treatment of Trachoma with Idoxuridine.

Treatment with idoxuridine (5-iodo-2'-deoxyuridine; I.D.U.) of experimental herpes simplex keratitis in rabbits (Kaufman, Nesburn, and Maloney, 1962; Corwin, Okumoto, Thygeson, and Jawetz, 1963) was followed by reports of its successful use in herpes simplex in man (Kaufman, Martola, and Dohiman, 1962; Corrigan, Gilkes, and Roberts, 1962; Havener and Wachtel, 1963 ; Maxwell, 1963). Other authors, though less enthusiastic, concede the value of I.D.U. in selected cases (Davidson, 1962; Luntz and MacCallum, 1963). Hall-Smith, Corrigan, and Gilkes (1962) found the drug effective for treating cutaneous herpes simplex, whereas Burnett and Katz (1963) found it useless. Loddo, Muntoni, and Ferrari (1963) reported that I.D.U. inhibited vaccinia in vitro but not poliovirus type 1 or Coxsackie virus type B3, which are R.N.A. viruses. So far, only D.N.A. viruses have been shown to be susceptible to I.D.U. Since the trachoma/inclusion conjunctivitis (TRIC) agents contain both D.N.A. and R.N.A., it was of interest to study the influence of this drug on trachoma, both in man and in infected chick embryos..