In vitro studies on the human cellular immune response to commercially available herpes simplex antigens.

Patients with recurrent herpes labialis and genitalis as well as normal controls were tested for the in vitro responsiveness of their lymphocytes to mitogens, to several herpes antigens and to carrier medium alone (containing chorioallantois membrane antigens). No statistically significant differences were found in the results with the direct and indirect migration inhibitory test (MIF) and in studies of the blastogenic response of lymphocytes (LTT) among the three groups. These findings held up when correlations were drawn to severity or course of the disease and suggest that immunological modulation can play at most a minor role in inducing recurrent herpes simplex infections.