Protection from oral herpes simplex virus infection by a nucleic acid-free virus vaccine.

The effect of immunization with inactivated herpes virus vaccines, including a vaccine free of all nucleic acid, was investigated in a mouse model system. Protection against oral lesions induced by herpes simplex virus type 1 was demonstrated by several criteria: (i) reduction in the incidence and severity of primary oral lesions; (ii) decrease in acute and latent infection of the regional sensory ganglia; and (iii) protection from viral encephalitis and death. The immune response of mice to the vaccine and to subsequent virus challenge was measured by following serum-neutralizing antibody titers.