USE OF FAMCICLOVIR FOR THE TREATMENT OF ENDOTHELIOTROPHIC HERPESVIRUS INFECTIONS IN ASIAN ELEPHANTS (ELEPHAS MAXIMUS)

Dennis L. Schmitt; Douglas A. Hardy; Richard J. Montali; Laura K. Richman; William A. Lindsay; Ramiro Isaza; Gary West

doi:10.1638/1042-7260(2000)031[0518:UOFFTT]2.0.CO;2

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1 December 2000 USE OF FAMCICLOVIR FOR THE TREATMENT OF ENDOTHELIOTROPHIC HERPESVIRUS INFECTIONS IN ASIAN ELEPHANTS (ELEPHAS MAXIMUS)

Dennis L. Schmitt, Douglas A. Hardy, Richard J. Montali, Laura K. Richman, William A. Lindsay, Ramiro Isaza, Gary West

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J. of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine, 31(4):518-522 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1638/1042-7260(2000)031[0518:UOFFTT]2.0.CO;2

Abstract

Two juvenile Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) presented with an acute onset of facial edema and lethargy. Examination of the oral cavity of each animal revealed cyanosis of the tip and distal margins of the tongue suggestive of endothelial inclusion body disease (EIBD) of elephants. Whole-blood samples were obtained, and polymerase chain reaction tests confirmed the presence of elephant herpesvirus. The animals were administered famciclovir (Famvir, SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19101, USA), a potent human anti-herpesvirus drug, in the course of their disease, and recovery followed a treatment regime of 3–4 wk. These are the first known cases of elephants surviving EIBD.

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Dennis L. Schmitt, Douglas A. Hardy, Richard J. Montali, Laura K. Richman, William A. Lindsay, Ramiro Isaza, and Gary West "USE OF FAMCICLOVIR FOR THE TREATMENT OF ENDOTHELIOTROPHIC HERPESVIRUS INFECTIONS IN ASIAN ELEPHANTS (ELEPHAS MAXIMUS)," Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 31(4), 518-522, (1 December 2000). https://doi.org/10.1638/1042-7260(2000)031[0518:UOFFTT]2.0.CO;2

Received: 20 October 1999; Published: 1 December 2000

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