Herpesvirus research at the Virology Institute of the Slovak Academy of Science
Rajcáni, J.
Bratislavske Lekarske Listy 93(9): 477-484
1992
ISSN/ISBN: 0006-9248 PMID: 1337712 Document Number: 393063
Research of the herpes virus (HSV) in the Institute of Virology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences in Bratislava has achieved some interesting results. An original technique has been elaborated for the purification of HSV visions and the separation of envelopes and naked particles. Studies of the properties of the HSZP strain of HSV type 1, adapted by us, showed that this virus did not only fail to shut off host cell proteosynthesis but also interfered with this ability of the KOS strain. Interesting results were achieved in elaborating the experimental pathogenesis of HSV and pseudorabies virus, especially concerning their neural spread. Important was the discovery of latent infection established with pseudorabies virus and the detection of spontaneously nonreactivating HSV DNA sequences in the nervous system of experimental animals and in man. A new herpesvirus was isolated from rodents at large, distinct from the so far known mouse CMV. This virus proved to be of interest because of its peculiar pathogenesis (similar to that of alpha herpes viruses) and DNA structure (similar to that of gamma herpes viruses). The preparation of a subunit vaccine using primary quail embryo cells (along with the introduction of domestic acyclovir) opens up some perspectives for the suppression of recurrent herpes virus infections in man. The testing of HSV-1 deletion mutants aims at elucidating the role of individual genes and their products in the pathogenetic process. (Ref. 54.)