Survey of acyclovir-resistant herpes simplex virus in the Netherlands: prevalence and characterization.

Background: Widespread and frequent use of acyclovir (ACV) for treatment, suppressive therapy and prophylaxis of herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections and its over the counter availability may be associated with emergence of HSV resistance.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of ACV-resistant HSV isolates in different patient groups between 1999 and 2002 in the Netherlands.

Study Design: A total of 542 isolates, 410 HSV-1 and 132 HSV-2, from 496 patients were screened for reduced susceptibility to ACV.

Identification of a new human coronavirus.

Three human coronaviruses are known to exist: human coronavirus 229E (HCoV-229E), HCoV-OC43 and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV). Here we report the identification of a fourth human coronavirus, HCoV-NL63, using a new method of virus discovery. The virus was isolated from a 7-month-old child suffering from bronchiolitis and conjunctivitis.