Immunization with a replication-defective herpes simplex virus 2 mutant reduces herpes simplex virus 1 infection and prevents ocular disease.
Ocular infections with herpes simplex virus 1 can lead to corneal scarring and blindness, with herpes keratitis being the major infectious cause of blindness. There is currently no clinically approved vaccine and nearly all developmental vaccines are targeted against HSV-2 and genital herpes. We tested the ability of an HSV-2 replication-defective virus, a genital herpes vaccine candidate, to protect against HSV-1 corneal infection. Immunization with HSV-2 dl5-29 reduced viral replication in the cornea, prevented ocular disease and reduced latent infection by the HSV-1 strain. Therefore, this HSV-2 replication-defective mutant strain may have applications for prevention of herpes keratitis and genital herpes due to HSV-1 infection.
van Lint
Allison L
AL
Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Harvard Medical School, 200 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Torres-Lopez
Ernesto
E
Knipe
David M
DM
D000818:Animals; D003673:Defective Viruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000502:physiology*; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D022283:Herpesvirus Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D007114:Immunization; D016849:Keratitis, Herpetic / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009154:Mutation; D017735:Virus Latency; D014779:Virus Replication
D022283:Herpesvirus Vaccines