TREATMENT AND PREVENTION
Treatment of herpesvirus infections is largely supportive. There are no reports of the use of antiviral drugs for treating clinical cases. Early in vitro studies have evaluated the efficacy of several anti-herpetic compounds on the replication of MaHV-1 and MaHV-2.
Of the eight compounds tested, (E)-5-(2' bromovinyl)-2'-deoxyuridine (BVDU) was considered to be the most appropriate candidate for in vivo assessment, effectively inhibiting both MaHV-1 and MaHV-2 on plaque reduction neutralisation assays (Smith 1996; Smith and Whalley 1998). Additionally, 5'-iodo-2'- deoxycytidine and adenine 9-β-D-arabino-furanoside were identified to be equally as effective against MaHV-1 and MaHV-2, respectively (Smith 1996; Smith and Whalley 1998). Further in vivo studies are required before recommending the clinical use of these compounds.Appropriate management of managed populations by means of stringent quarantine practices, screening by serological and/or molecular methodologies, judicious cross-fostering practices, management of concurrent diseases and minimising external environmental stressors are all important considerations in limiting the spread and impact of herpesvirus infections. In free-ranging populations an understanding of underlying factors that may increase susceptibility to herpesvirus-induced disease (e.g. habitat destruction, in-breeding, concurrent disease) is critical as part of a holistic approach to conservation in situ.