[Herpes simplex virus infection: host-virus interaction]

Herpes simplex virus infections still cause significant morbidity in immunocompetent and immunodeficient patients, in spite of the availability of specific anti-viral therapy. Latency and neurovirulence are central to the pathogenesis of infection, and the mechanisms underlying these properties are not yet completely known. Major advances of the recent years should shed light on the mechanisms governing host-virus interaction, and are illustrated in this review. They include the discovery of molecules acting as receptors for the virus, models for studying virus-neuron interaction during latency and reactivation, and animal models of neurovirulence.