Abstract
The immune response to herpes simplex virus was assessed by complement fixation tests, in vitro stimulation of lymphocytes, and intradermal skin tests on 63 healthy volunteers and 26 patients receiving antilymphocyte globulin (ALG) and/or adrenocorticotropic hormone. Lymphocytes from subjects with frequent recurrent herpes infections all showed significant stimulation by herpes simplex antigen, but only four of 37 without a history of previous herpes were positive. Skin tests with herpes simplex antigen demonstrated intact delayed hypersensitivity in the 10 patients tested. Lymphocyte responses to phytohemagglutinin (PHA), purified protein derivative (PPD), streptokinase, or vaccinia were similar in subjects with or without previous herpes. We were, therefore, unable to demonstrate any defect in these parameters of the immune response in patients with recurrent herpes simplex infections. Therapy with ALG totally abrogated both in vitro and in vivo evidence of cell-mediated immunity and was associated with herpes labialis in seven of the 21 courses. These infections were more severe than usual, and it may be that the cell-mediated response is more important in the localization of recurrent herpetic infections than in their prevention.
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