title: Immunosuppression facilitates the reactivation of latent papillomavirus infections.
abstract: At mucosal sites, papillomavirus genomes can persist in the epithelial basal layer following immune-mediated regression. Subsequent T-cell depletion stimulates a 3- to 5-log increase in the viral copy number, to levels associated with productive infection. Reappearance of microlesions was rare within the short time frame of our experiments but was observed in one instance. Our studies provide direct evidence that immunosuppression can trigger the reactivation of latent papillomavirus genomes, as previously proposed in humans.
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Maglennon
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: McIntosh
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Doorbar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D011817:Rabbits; D017735:Virus Latency