[The characteristics of thymus involvement in regional and generalized forms of herpetic infection].

The features of thymus involvement in pathologic process in different types of experimental herpetic infection in rabbits were studied using morphologic and immunologic analysis methods. Insignificant features of thymus pathology were revealed in animals with regional manifestations of the infection in the form of ophthalmoherpes, whereas the rabbits with generalized herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection by retrosternal administration showed pronounced structural-functional changes and the presence of virus antigens as well, which may indicate the possibility of HSV reproduction in thymus cells.