Recovery of herpes simplex virus genetic information from human trigeminal ganglion cells following superinfection with herpes simplex virus type 2 temperature-sensitive mutants.

Explant cultures of human trigeminal ganglia were derived from 36 individuals. Those cultures which failed to release herpes simplex virus (HSV) spontaneously were superinfected at various times after establishment in vitro with a range of HSV-2 temperature-sensitive (ts) mutants. Eight cultures from six individuals contained HSV-specific genetic information which could be detected or rescued following superinfection. Restriction enzyme analysis of ts+ virus recovered from the ganglia of two individuals following superinfection was identical to that of endogenous HSV-1 spontaneously released from parallel cultures. Retrieval of ts+ virus by this technique suggests products of the superinfecting virus activated expression of whole genomes or that spontaneous virus expression occurred unrelated to the act of superinfection.