Prophylactic Acyclovir (like PrEP) for HSV2 negative partners

[Souji]

Hi all-

Is it possible that daily acyclovir taken by HSV2-negative individuals would reduce the risk of contracting HSV2 in a discordant relationship? Or would it least be possible to help to prevent an uninfected partner from developing symptomatic HSV2?

Essentially, the constant acyclovir in their system would allow help a person's immune system to fight off HSV2 during exposure. And either they would not seroconvert, or they would seroconvert but be asympomatic because their body effectively challenged the virus upon encountering it and the virus was only able to affect very few nerve cells during the primary infection. 

I am not saying any of this is true, but am looking for input: why or why not would this work in the same way that PrEP significantly reduces the risk of contracting HIV?

I feel like I have heard this question bandied around and have never heard any scientifically feasible arguments or comments as to why this either might or might not work. So if anyone can give scientifically-grounded commentary here, it would be much appreciated.

(I apologize in advance if this is not the right forum for this post, but I am posting here because I think the people that read this forum are the most scientifically informed and might be able to comment.)

[WilsoInAus]

HSV antivirals do not fight the virus directly. They work by removing DNA building blocks for HSV viral replication. Hence it is not believed that there is any value in terms of preventing an infection which comes from live virus from the carrier, but it is likely the infection would be lessened if one occurred. 

[WilsoInAus]

Yes it is, you can read up a little on acyclovir to confirm this.

[Evaluate]

As Wilso said, antivirals cause errors or breaks with newly formed viral DNA.  I won't affect the virus that is already formed in the system.  If exposed to HSV, the antivirals would do nothing to it.