Activation of latent herpesvirus hominis in explants of rabbit trigeminal ganglia: the influence of immune serum.

More than fifty albino rabbits were inoculated into the right scarified cornea with 10(7) PFU of the Kupka strain of human herpes virus type 1 (HHV-1). At intervals ranging from 4--280 days post infection (p.i.), both gasserian ganglia, both trigeminal nerve trunks and pieces from brain stem and from both corneas were explanted. Activation of the latent HHV-1 was found mainly in the homolateral ganglion tissue, but also in explants originating from the opposite ganglia. Within 24--72 hours, prior to the release of virus into the medium, one infectious unit of HHV was recovered from 10(4)--10(5) cells of the ganglion explant. In addition, a few neurons and satellite cells revealed the presence of virus-specific antigens when the explants were examined by immunofluorescence in serial sections. If the gangia were explanted in the presence of immune serum, the virus recovery rate was at least twice lower as compared to the virus activation in explants kept in the absence of immune serum.