Different susceptibilities of skin to type 1 and type 2 herpes simplex viruses in newborn rabbits

Skin infections with type 1 herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) were compared with skin infections with type 2 virus (HSV-2). Five strains each of HSV-1 and HSV-2 were tested by injecting 10(3) 50% tissue culture infective doses of each strain subcutaneously into 1-day-old New Zealand white rabbits. All five strains of HSV- 2 produced severe skin lesions that resulted in wide dissemination of the infection to many organs, paralysis of the hind legs, and finally death. The virus could be isolated frequently from skin lesions, from various organs (liver, lungs, adrenal glands, brain, and eyes), and from circulating leukocytes and plasma. In contrast, all five strains of HSV-1 failed to produce significant skin lesions or dissemination of virus, only half of the skin lesions yielded HSV, and no virus could be isolated from the blood. These results indicate that HSV-1 dose not grow well in the skin of newborn rabbits and fails to disseminate, whereas HSV-2 is dermatotropic and disseminates readily to many organs by hematogenous routes.