Hexagonal arrangement of filaments in herpes simplex virus type 2-infected cells

Tubular structures in the cervix of mice experimentally infected with herpes simplex virus type 2

Experimental infection of the C3H/N mouse genital tract was demonstrated after intravaginal inoculation with herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). About 75% of the infected animals died by Day 7, and 75% of the surviving animals had severe vaginitis or neurological signs on Day 7. Titers of the virus recovered from vaginal secretions of infected animals reached a maximum on Day 2 and gradually decreased until Day 7. On the other hand, under the electron microscope, virus particles and tubular structures could be found in the nuclei of infected cells of the cervix in the 1st, 2nd and 4th days after infection. All cases in which virus particles could be found in the nuclei of infected cells were also positive for tubular structures and vice versa. These observations indicate that in situ diagnosis of HSV-2 infection can be made in the mouse model. The same method would be applicable for the diagnosis of human HSV-2 infection.

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection of organotypic nerve cell cultures. Tubule-like structures in the nuclei of cells infected with type 2 but not with type 1 virus

In HSV-2 infected cultures, intranuclear tubule-like structures were found more commonly in fibroblasts and central nervous system (CNS) neurons than in oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, satellite and Schwann cells, but were found least often in peripheral neurons.

Electron microscope observations on tubular structures in cells infected with herpes simplex virus type 2

The fine structure of filamentous structures and lattice-like structures found in herpes simplex virus type 2-infected cells was studied. By specimen tilting experiments, it was demonstrated that the lattice-like structures were the cross-sectional views of the tubular structures and the filamentous structures were the longitudinal sections. The observation in negatively stained preparations of isolated tubular structures revealed that the structure was constructed by regular array of ring shaped elements. A hypothetical model is presented for tubular structures constructed on the basis of the present findings. The tubular structures appeared as early as 6 hours after infection and reached a maximum at 12 hours.