T-cell immunity to human alphaherpesviruses

Human alphaherpesviruses (aHHV) - herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), HSV-2, and varicella-zoster virus (VZV) - infect mucosal epithelial cells, establish a lifelong latent infection of sensory neurons, and reactivate intermittingly to cause recrudescent disease. Although chronic aHHV infections coexist with brisk T-cell responses, T-cell immune suppression is associated with worsened recurrent infection. Induction of aHHV-specific T-cell immunity is complex and results in polyspecific CD4 and CD8 T-cell responses in peripheral blood. Specific T-cells are localized to ganglia during the chronic phase of HSV infection and to several infected areas during recurrences, and persist long after viral clearance. These recent advances hold promise in the design of new vaccine candidates.

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