Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) latent infection of human trigeminal ganglia (TG) is common and associated histopathologic changes are incompletely understood. To better understand histopathologic changes associated with HSV-1 latent infection human cadaveric TG tissues derived from six adult patients were examined for evidence of latent HSV-1 infection and associated histopathologic changes. TG tissues from three patients were found to harbor latent HSV-1 infection as demonstrated by detection of HSV-1 latency-associated transcripts by in situ hybridization and no evidence of HSV-1 protein expression by immunohistochemistry. Most TG latently infected with HSV-1 demonstrated foci of chronic inflammation. Morphometric studies indicated that the meandiameter of neuronal nuclei in latently infected TG was decreased relative to controls. These findings were similar to histopathologic changes we previously detected in a murine model of HSV-1 latent infection and provide novel information about the pathologic consequences of HSV-1 latency in the human nervous system.

Biography:
Tibor Valyi-Nagy, MD, PhD is a Professor, Director of Neuropathology and Interim Director ofAnatomic Pathologyin the Department of Pathology, University of Illinois at Chicago.