To investigate viral pathogenesis and in vivo efficacy of acyclovir (ACV) in mouse HSV-1 encephalitis models, female BALB/c mice aged 5 weeks were inoculated with strain F either intranasally (IN) or intracerebrally (IC). ACV-treatment by intraperitomeal injection with 0, 5, 10 and 25 mg/kg b.i.d. for 6 days was commenced 1 h after infection. Body weight and signs of clinical disease were noted daily up to 2 weeks. $ED_{50}$ of ACV in IN infection was <5 mg/kg and 14.1 mg/kg in IC infection. Tissues of central nervous system were collected from 2 mice per group everyday up to 5 day p.i. and the virus titers were measured. In IN infection model, high titers in eyes and trigeminal nerves were observed. ACV-treatment showed significant reduction of the titers in all the isolated. In IC infection model, cerebrum, cerebellum and brain stem showed high virus titers. ACV-treatment showed less significant reduction of virus titers than that in IN infection model. Reactivation of explanted trigeminal nerves from mice 30 day p.i. was monitored. In all of ACV treated mice reactivation was observed, i.e. even the highest dose of ACV did not inhibit the establishment of viral latency.