Recovery of Herpes-Simplex Virus from Human Trigeminal Ganglions

Abstract

In six of seven patients, herpes-simplex virus was recovered from trigeminal ganglions obtained at autopsy from unselected cadavers less than 12 hours after death and maintained in culture for 10 to 45 days. The virus was not obtained from similarly handled cultures of trigeminal nerve or root from the same patients. The identity of the virus was confirmed by fluorescent-antibody and neutralization tests and by electron microscopy. The results indicate that herpes-simplex virus is present in a high proportion of human trigeminal ganglions and suggest this as a possible site of latent virus causing recurrent oral infection.