Immunostimulatory function of herpes simplex virus isolates from patients with frequent herpes labialis and a deficiency in immune-specific interferon production.

Approximately 30% of persons with frequent episodes of herpes labialis are deficient in the production of HSV-induced immune-specific interferon (IFN) (Green, 1985). Herpes simplex virus (HSV) strains isolated from persons who make immune-specific IFN and from persons who do not make it were examined for their immunostimulatory capabilities. HSV isolated from the primary oral lesions of two patients deficient in immune-specific IFN production, one person with an intact immune-specific IFN response, HSV types 1 and 2 laboratory strains, and Newcastle disease virus (NDV) were added to cultures of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBML) from HSV seropositive donors. All HSV-isolates induced comparable titers of immune-specific IFN. These studies suggest that failure of some patients to develop an immune-specific IFN response is determined by the host, not the virus.