Neurovirulence of an herpes simplex type 1 thymidine kinase negative mutant determined by virus biochemical defect and host immune system in mice. Brief report.

While the biochemical defect of the thymidine kinase negative HSV-1 mutant restricts virus replication in mouse neural tissue, and thereby reduces neurovirulence, the host immune system also limits HSV-1 TK- replication in permissive glial cells in immunocompetent mice, and reduces neurovirulence.