[Herpetic infection of the oral cavity in guinea pigs].

A convenient experimental model for serial studies of herpes simplex of the buccal mucosa has been developed in guinea pigs by application of fresh isolates of herpes simplex virus type 1 from a patient with primary herpetic gingivo-stomatitis on prescarified buccal mucosa. The herpetic nature of the eruptions in the oral cavity was confirmed by virus isolations and serologically. The possibility of exogenous reinfection of the buccal mucosa in convalescent animals against the background of humoral virus-neutralizing antibody has been demonstrated. No virus was isolated from the blood, brain, regional lymph nodes, oesophagus, trachea, lungs or liver of the animals with primary herpes simplex of the buccal mucosa. The model is recommended for experimental investigations of herpetic infections of the buccal mucosa.