Recurrence of herpes simplex in the mouse requires an intact nerve supply to the skin.

The nerves supplying the pinna of the ear of mice latently infected in the 2nd and 3rd cervical ganglia were sectioned. Immediately after neurotomy, or some days later, the denervated ears were stripped with cellophane tape to induce recurrent disease. The cervical ganglia and skin of the ears were tested for the presence of infectious virus at different times after neurotomy. Nerve section induced a low incidence of reactivation of virus in ganglia. After neurotomy, infectious virus was isolated from the skin very rarely and recurrent disease was not seen.