The potential efficacy of topical therapy with (E)-5-w-bromovinyl)-2'-deoxyuridine (BVDU) for cutaneous herpesvirus infection was evaluated in vitro and in guinea pigs. Drug sensitivity testing against herpes simplex virus type 1 strain E115 revealed an ID50 of 0.008 microgram/ml for BVDU and 0.19 microgram/ml for acyclovir (ACV). In vitro drug diffusion studies showed poor penetration of guinea pig skin by BVDU from the cream compared to BVDU from dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) (0.04 vs. 1.5 microgram/cm2 per h). 5% BVDU cream, 5% BVDU/DMSO, and 5% ACV in polyethylene glycol (PEG) were then compared in the treatment of experimental dorsal cutaneous HSV-1 infection in guinea pigs. Lesion number, total lesion area and virus titer were reduced by all three formulations compared to control sites treated with the corresponding drug vehicles (P less than or equal to 0.01). BVDU cream effected a greater reduction in lesion number (20+ vs. 13%) and total lesion area (40% vs. 28%) than did ACV/PEG and a significantly greater decrease in virus titer (990% vs. 55%, P less than 0.002). BVDU/DMSO was clinically twice as effective as BVDU cream (P less than or equal to 0.01) and reduced lesion virus titers to a similar degree. The results of these studies show that BVDU is a more potent virus-inhibitory agent than ACV in vitro and is superior to topical ACV in vivo when formulated in a simple aqueous cream. The marked efficacy of BVDU/DMSO in the animal model demonstrates the potential of this antiviral if drug delivery is improved.