Multiple Determinants Contribute to the Virulence of HSV Ocular and CNS Infection and Identification of Serine 34 of the US1 Gene as an Ocular Disease Determinant

Abstract

Multiple HSV genes can operate to increase virulence. The UL9, -33, -36/37, and -42 genes have not previously been identified as virulence determinants. The UL41 and US1 genes are known to affect disease, but the changes identified had not been described. Multiple novel mutations were found in the OD4, UL9, UL36, and US1 genes, and we showed that S34 in the US1 gene is essential in ocular disease.