Kinetics of sensitization of herpes simplex virus and its relationship to the reduction in the neutralization rate constant.

Incubation of herpes simplex virus (HSV) with rabbit anti-HSV for as little as 2.5 minutes rendered 75% of the surviving fraction neutralizable by anti-rabbit-gamma-globulin antiserum. The degree of this sensitization increased with time and at 20 minutes over 99.8% of the surviving virus was sensitized. Neutralization kinetics showed that as the degree of sensitization increased, the neutralization rate constant decreased. Incubation of HSV with anti-HSV for 5, 20, and 120 minutes resulted, respectively, in a 23%, 59%, and 87% reduction in the neutralization rate constant. These findings suggest that sensitization is an important factor in the inhibition of neutralization and the formation of the persistent fraction.