DNA regions and genes determining the virulence of herpes simplex virus

Abstract

The outcome of virus-host interaction after peripheral inoculation of herpes simplex virus (HSV) depends on virus replication at the portal of entry, the ability of the virus to invade nerve endings and capillary endothelium cells and, the rate of virus replication in neurons and nonneural cells of the nervous system. Functions involved are the activity of viral thymidine kinase, DNA polymerase, immediate early transactivator proteins, the transcription initiation protein, the envelope protein(s) governing virus penetration, syncytium formation and natural killing of infected cells as well as some other regulatory DNA sequences.