Downloaded from www.microbiologyresearch.org by

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is transcriptionally active during latent infection in human peripheral sensory ganglia. Viral gene expression includes the latency-associated transcripts (LATs) which have been linked to the ability of the virus to resume replication and reactivate. However, the molecular basis of re-activation and the mechanisms of action of these transcripts are unknown. In order to study these parameters, an in vivo reactivation model is needed. We investigated use of the mouse as the experimental animal, modifying the route of infection, the viral strain and the reactivation protocol. Following administration of human immunoglobulin 1 day prior to corneal infection, no infectious virus was detected in trigeminal ganglia (TG). However, latency was established in al