Acute and recurrent herpes simplex in several strains of mice.

Acute and recurrent herpes simplex was studied after infection in the ear of two outbred and five inbred strains of mice. In all strains tested there was clinical evidence of infection, and a proportion of the mice became latently infected in the cervical ganglia. Six weeks after infection, when attempts were made to induce recurrent desease by stripping the ears of the mice with cellophange tape, a proportion of animals of each strain developed recurrent disease, characterized by erythema in the skin. At monthly intervals thereafter, the ears were stripped again and, on each occasion, a proportion of the animals developed recurrent disease, with the exception of Balb/c mice. The different reaction of Balb/c and other inbred strains might prove useful in studies on the mechanism of control of recurrent herpes simplex.