Ascending infection following cervicovaginal exposure to herpesvirus hominis type II.

An animal model is presented that demonstrates that following cervicovaginal inoculation, infective doses of herpesvirus hominis type II induce a form of herpetic encephalitis. Immunofluorescent results indicate that there is both neural and hematogenous spread of the herpes infection. The possible role of a latent viral infection in the genesis of an acute disease of the central nervous system is investigated in this experimental system.