Spread of herpes simplex virus (HSV) strains SC16, ANG, ANGpath and its glyC minus and GlyE minus mutants in DBA-2 mice.

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) strains SC16, ANG, its pathogenic variant ANGpath and the mutants ANG-pathgC18 glycoprotein C (glyC) negative and ANGpathI2-4 (glyE negative) were compared for their ability to spread in DBA-2 mice after peripheral inoculation. Virus infectivity assay in 9 organs at days 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 10 post-infection (p.i.) and morphologic examinations (immunofluorescence, PAP staining) showed the following: SC16, ANG, and ANGpath spread first (days 2-3 p.i.) by haematogenic route to spleen, liver, and adrenal gland. Since day 4 the invasion of the vegetative and peripheral nervous system took place in SC16 and ANGpath-infected mice, followed by virus spread to the spinal cord and brain stem. In ANG-infected mice the invasion of peripheral nervous system was minimal although both ANG as well as ANGpath spread along the axons. In ANG pathC18-infected mice a relatively prolonged viraemic phase (days 2-4 p.i.) represented with foci of virus antigen-containing cells in spleen, liver, and mesenterial connective tissue was accompanied with a low grade invasion of the peripheral nervous system (days 3-4 p.i.). No spread by any route of ANGpathI2-4 was observed after intraperitoneal inoculation. When comparing ANGpath and SC16, the latter seemed slightly more lethal, since ANGpath killed 67.2% of DBA-2 mice which were given 2 X 10(6) PFU/0.1 ml by i.p. route as compared to the 100% lethality of SC16-infected animals.