Evaluation of the mouse eye as a model for recurrent herpetic infection

Date
1982
DOI
Authors
Fu, Earl Hahn
Version
OA Version
Citation
Abstract
The eyes, the trigeminal ganglia and the superior cervical ganglia of CD-1 mice were studied as a model for recurrent herpetic infections. Animals were corneally infected with Type 1 herpes simplex virus (HSV-1). During the period of acute infection, both gnaglionic tissues were demonstrated to have almost 100% infection with herpes virus. Following recovery from the acute infection, HSV was shown to be latent in both ganglionic tissues; the HSV could be demonstrated in over 75% of trigeminal ganglia and approximately 20% of superior cervical ganglia by explantation of gnaglia. During t he latent phase, spontaneous reactivation in both ocular and ganglionic t issues were uncommon in our animals. Different stimuli, including fever, thermal burn, mechanical trauma, treatment with cyclophosphamide (CPA), an immunosuppressant, and physical stress were employed in attempts to induce recurrent infection. Daily cultures of eye swabbings and cultures of homogenates of the ganglia were used to sutdy effects of these stimuli on virus reactivation. A low incidence of reactivation (approximately 10%) was demonstrated in eyes and trigeminal gnaglia following CPA trea t men~ of these mice. The other stimuli apparently p~oduced no reactivation of infection in our animals. This mouse eye model may still prove to be useful for studying the mechaniams of viral latency and reactivation in herpetic infection, and thus warrants investigation.
Description
Thesis (D.Sc.D.)--Boston University, Henry M. Goldman School of Graduate Dentistry, 1982 (Oral biology)
Bibliography: leaves 102-114.
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