Herpes simplex virus vaccine: protection from stomatitis, ganglionitis, encephalitis and latency.

A mouse model system was developed for studying the pathogenesis of oral infection with herpes simplex virus type 1 and the protection offered by prior immunization with a nucleic acid-free vaccine. Of non-immunized mice, 95-100% developed ulcerative lesions 3-5 days following application of virus to abraded oral epithelial surfaces. Infection of the ipsilateral sensory (trigeminal) ganglion and the cerebellum occurred by day 2 and sequentially progressed to the contralateral ganglion by day 4 and to the cerebrum by day 5. Prior immunization of mice with an inactivated virus vaccine, and most importantly, with a vaccine free of nucleic acid, protected mice from subsequent oral virus infection. Protection was demonstrated by: (i) reduction in the incidence and severity of primary oral lesions; (ii) a decrease in the number of mice with acute ganglionic infection or dying of encephalitis; and (iii) a reduction in the incidence of latent trigeminal ganglionic infection.