Efficacy of recombinant glycoprotein D subunit vaccines on the development of primary, recurrent, and latent genital infections with herpes simplex virus type 2 in guinea pigs.

Vaccination of guinea pigs with recombinant glycoprotein D (subunit vaccine) from either herpes simplex virus type 1 or type 2 (HSV-1, HSV-2), before intravaginal inoculation with HSV-2, markedly altered viral replication in the vaginal tract and reduced, or completely prevented, the development and spread of external genital lesions. Vaccination with glycoprotein D from HSV-2 prevented the establishment of latent HSV-2 infections in dorsal root ganglia and reduced the frequency of recurrent episodes. For all parameters of efficacy that we tested, vaccination with glycoprotein D from HSV-2 was more effective than was vaccination with protein derived from HSV-1. Vaccination after primary infection had no effect on the frequency or duration of recurrent HSV-2 infections.