Cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity after intravitreal inoculation of herpes simplex virus type I in mice.

We investigated the cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) activity in the cervical lymph nodes and spleen of mice inoculated with herpes simplex virus (HSV) by the corneal or intravitreal route. CTL activity in the spleen was similar in both groups, but CTL activity in the cervical lymph nodes and the delayed-type sensitivity reaction were lower in the intravitreal group than in the corneal group. Our findings indicate that a phenomenon resembling anterior-chamber-associated immune deviation occurred after injection of HSV into the vitreous cavity.