Polyadenylic: polyuridylic acid-induced protection of BALB[c mice against acute routine cytomegalovirus infection

prior to infection with a lethal dose of murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) increased survival. In paral-lel with increased survival, a 10- to 100-fold reduction of plaque-forming MCMV was found in the liver and spleen of mice 4 days post-infection with a sublethal dose of MCMV. Poly(A):poly(U) did not significantly increase natural killer cell activity or prolong the duration of elevated cytotoxic activity in in-fected animals. The possible role of interferon in the poly(A): poly(U)-induced protection of BALB/c mice is discussed. Primary herpesvirus infections are normally self-limiting and symptoms, when expressed, usually resolve without intervention. However, following recovery, some virus will remain in the host in a latent state from whic