Rl. Ashley et al., PROTEIN-SPECIFIC CERVICAL ANTIBODY-RESPONSES TO PRIMARY GENITAL HERPES-SIMPLEX VIRUS TYPE-2 INFECTIONS, The Journal of infectious diseases, 170(1), 1994, pp. 20-26
Antibodies to herpes simplex virus (HSV) have been demonstrated in cer
vicovaginal secretions but have not been analyzed for their viral prot
ein targets, prevalence, isotype, or kinetics of development. A method
was devised to collect cervical secretions from women with primary ge
nital HSV-2. By Western blot, cervical IgG and IgA responses to HSV-2
proteins VP5, gB, and gD were detected in most patients within 2 weeks
of onset and to gC/gE within 3 weeks. Cervical IgA and IgG responses
to gG, VP16, and ICP35 developed later and were more variable. Cervica
l IgM to most proteins appeared within 6-10 days. Cervical IgA and IgG
persisted for weeks, but cervical IgM waned. Western blot profiles of
serum IgG and cervical IgG to individual HSV-2 proteins were similar;
those of serum IgA and cervical IgA differed. These findings suggest
a universal, complex immune response to HSV-2 infection in the female
genital tract.