Tolerance and immunity in mice infected with herpes simplex virus: simultaneous induction of protective immunity and tolerance to delayed-type hypersensitivity.

Unresponsiveness to delayed type hypersensitivity was induced in mice following an intravenous injection of herpes simplex virus. The principal tolerogens used were thymidine kinase-deficient virus mutants which grow poorly in vivo; u.v.-inactivated and to a lesser extent formalin-inactivated virus were also tolerogenic. The tolerance induced was specific for the virus type. Despite the tolerance to delayed hypersensitivity, anti-viral immunity is present as determined by the rapid inactivation of infectious virus. The mechanism of tolerance to herpes virus and the importance of these observations for the pathogenesis of viral disease is discussed.