Antibodies to herpes-simplex virus in "normal" cerebrospinal fluid.

Thirty samples of cerebrospinal fluid (C.S.F.) obtained during routine myelography were examined for antibodies against herpes-simplex virus (H.S.V.) by antibody-mediated cell-dependent immune lysis. Antiviral antibody was found in the C.S.F. of all ten patients who were subject to recurrent cold sores. Thirteen of the twenty patients who denied or could not recall any previous herpetic infection had a serum antibody, and nine of them also had C.S.F antibody. All patients with C.S.F. antibody also had serum antibody. These results support the suggestion the H.S.V. antibodies may be responsible for maintaining the latency of H.S.V.