Herpes simplex virus latency in patients with multiple sclerosis, lymphoma and normal humans

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) was isolated from the trigeminal ganglia (TG) of 12 cadavers (10 traumatic deaths, one lymphoma and one multiple sclerosis). The cadaver with multiple sclerosis showed large bilateral trigeminal nerve root entry zone areas of demyelination. It is hypothesized that HSV is capable of migrating to the trigeminal nerve root entry zone and initiating demyelinating disease.