IMMUNOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF FACIAL-NERVE PARALYSIS INDUCED BY HERPES-SIMPLEX VIRUS-INFECTION IN MICE

The immunologic aspects of facial nerve paralysis due to herpes simple x virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection were investigated in a mouse model sy stem. Half of the 4- to 5 week-old mice developed facial nerve paralys is, whereas none of the 6-week-old mice died or developed facial nerve paralysis on inoculation with HSV-1. Six-week-old mice showed signifi cantly higher titers of anti-HSV-1 neutralizing antibody than did 4-we ek-old animals. Passive transfer of either anti-HSV-1 antibody or HSV- 1-immunized splenic T cells into 4-week-old mice 3 hours after HSV-1 i noculation prevented development of facial nerve paralysis and death, whereas such transfers 48 or 96 hours after HSV-1 inoculation did not prevent or exacerbate facial nerve paralysis. These results demonstrat e that the age and the immunologic potency of mice are closely related to the pathogenesis of facial nerve paralysis. That facial nerve para lysis developed even in 6-week-old mice whose T-cell function was supp ressed with anti-CD3 antibody suggests that virus-induced cellular dem yelination is unlikely as a cause of facial nerve paralysis in this an imal model.