The herpes-specific immune response of individuals with herpes-associated erythema multiforme compared with that of individuals with recurrent herpes labialis
✍ Scribed by S. L. Brice; S. S. Stockert; J. D. Bunker; D. Bloomfield; J. C. Huff; D. A. Norris; W. L. Weston
- Publisher
- Springer-Verlag
- Year
- 1993
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 488 KB
- Volume
- 285
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0340-3696
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
✦ Synopsis
Infection with herpes simplex virus (HSV) is the most common precipitating factor in the development of erythema multiforme (EM). It is not known why only a few of the many individuals who experience recurrent HSV infection also develop herpes-associated EM (HAEM), although a difference in the HSV-specific immune response has been postulated. The purpose of this study was to compare the HSV-specific immune response of individuals with HSV infection alone with that of individuals with HAEM. There were 21 patients in each of the two groups. Four parameters of the HSV-specific immune response were examined: (1) anti-HSV IgG titers were measured by ELISA;
(2) antibody neutralization was assessed using a plaque assay; and (3) antibody-dependent complementmediated cytotoxicity, and (4) antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity were investigated using a previously described in vitro HSV-specific cytotoxicity assay. No statistically significant differences were detected between the two patient groups. Thus, a difference in these HSV-specific immune mechanisms does not explain the development of HAEM in some individuals with recurrent HSV infection.