Blocking Herpes Simplex Virus 2 Glycoprotein E Immune Evasion as an Approach To Enhance Efficacy of a Trivalent Subunit Antigen Vaccine for Genital Herpes

Abstract

Herpes simplex virus is the most common cause of genital ulcer disease worldwide. Infection results in emotional distress for infected individuals and their partners, is life threatening for infants exposed to herpes during childbirth, and greatly increases the risk of individuals acquiring and transmitting HIV infection. A vaccine that prevents genital herpes infection will have major public health benefits. Our vaccine approach includes strategies to prevent the virus from evading immune attack. Mice were immunized with a trivalent vaccine containing an antigen that induces antibodies to block virus entry and two antigens that induce antibodies that block immune evasion from antibody and complement. Immunized mice demonstrated no genital disease, and 32/33 (97%) animals had no evidence of infection of dorsal root ganglia, suggesting that the vaccine may prevent the establishment of latency and recurrent infections.