HSV1 Reactivates from Autonomic Ganglia

What is it about?

HSV remains in neurons after infection and can cause recurrent cold sores or genital lesions periodically throughout a person's life. We found that HSV1 can reactivate from latent virus in autonomic neurons near the eye to cause ocular disease, but we did not find evidence that HSV2 can. These results may help explain why HSV1 and HSV2 have differences in how often and where they cause lesions.

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Why is it important?

Since HSV1 and HSV2 reactivate from autonomic neurons differently, our results may help explain why HSV1 and HSV2 cause lesions in different places on the body in response to different triggers for recurrent disease.