Effects of cyclosporine on chronic cytomegalovirus infection in the guinea pig

Following establishment of chronic guinea pig cytomegalovirus (GPCMV) infection, animals received by gavage either cyclosporine (CS), 20-33 mg/kg, or drug vehicle daily for 28 days. At sacrifice the frequency of CMV isolation from tissues of GPCMV-infected animals was 20% for the immunosuppressed group versus 12% for controls (difference, NS). GPCMV isolation rates from lymphoid tissues (thymus, spleen, cervical lymph nodes) of experimental animals was 7 of 69 (10%) vs. 0 of 42 (0%) from controls (p less than 0.05). Although CS immunosuppression was associated with increased rates of GPCMV isolation from lymphoid tissues of chronically infected animals, it was not accompanied by detectable systemic disease.