Chapter 110 - Animal Models of Ocular Herpes Simplex Virus Infection (Rabbits, Primates, Mice)

Abstract

This chapter presents animal models of ocular herpes simplex virus infection, which include rabbits, primates, and mice models. New Zealand white (NZW) rabbits, which infect readily with most strains of HSV are used for studies of ocular herpes. The rabbit eye is only slightly smaller than the human eye, and when the inoculation is done under controlled circumstances, the infectious process is prototypical of the human disease. Rabbits develop classic corneal epithelial dendrites that respond to topical antiviral therapy, and the infection follows a well-defined and reproducible clinical course. New World monkeys, including the owl monkey (Aotus trivirgatus) and the squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus), are used in studies of acute and recurrent ocular herpetic infection. The laboratory mouse is available in two basic genetic versions: first, random-bred or non-inbred lines and second, genetically homogeneous, inbred strains. Random-bred or non-inbred mice such as the ICR, Swiss Webster, and NIH lines are readily available and less expensive than the inbred strains. According to some researchers, the genetic inhomogeneity in these lines insures that their response to ocular HSV infection is similar to that seen in genetically inhomogeneous human beings. Animals infected with a human pathogen such as herpesvirus must be housed in a room separate from other animals. In general, infection from one animal to another does not occur when they are housed in separate cages, and infection of personnel working with infected animals does not seem to occur. Monkeys should be housed individually during treatment and observation, and when treatments do not take place, they are housed in gang cages to allow social interaction.