Pathogenesis of Herpetic Neuritis and Ganglionitis in Mice: Evidence for Intra-Axonal Transport of Infection

TLDR

Acute herpetic infection in the nervous system has been studied in mice via rear footpad inoculation. The study examines mechanisms by which HSV may travel in nerve trunks. In mice, HSV spreads from peripheral sites to the sacral spinal ganglia within 20–24 h, infects ganglia even with high antibody levels, and is produced by both neurons (complete virions) and supporting cells (nucleocapsids), supporting centripetal axonal transport.

Abstract

The pathogenesis of acute herpetic infection in the nervous system has been studied following rear footpad inoculation of mice. Viral assays performed on appropriate tissues at various time intervals indicated that the infection progressed sequentially from peripheral to the central nervous system, with infectious virus reaching the sacrosciatic spinal ganglia in 20 to 24 hr. The infection also progressed to ganglia in mice given high levels of anti-viral antibody. Immunofluorescent techniques demonstrated that both neurons and supporting cells produced virus-specific antigens. By electron microscopy, neurons were found to produce morphologically complete virions, but supporting cells replicated principally nucleocapsids. These results are discussed in the context of possible mechanisms by which herpes simplex virus might travel in nerve trunks. They are considered to offer strong support for centripetal transport in axons.