The Effect of Temperature upon the Production of Herpes Simplex Virus in Tissue Culture

Abstract

Abstract The majority of adult human beings have been infected with the herpes simplex virus, judging from the high percentage of the general population whose sera contain complement fixing or neutralizing antibodies (50–90% depending upon the segment of the population tested) (1–7). Once the infection is acquired it appears that the virus may remain in some tissue or tissues in a latent or inapparent state and that under proper conditions it can become active to produce disease in the form of recurrent herpes simplex infections. Some of those who have serologic evidence of infection with the herpes simplex virus develop recurrent disease without apparent cause or in association with such common-place occurrences as menstruation, exposure to sunlight and emotional stress. In contrast, the majority of persons who have serologic evidence of herpetic infection develop recurrent herpes simplex lesions if they contract certain febrile bacterial infections, especially those caused by Meningococci or Pneumococci.