Use of herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 ISCOMS 703 vaccine for prophylactic and therapeutic treatment of primary and recurrent HSV-2 infection inn guinea pigs

The effect of subunit vaccination on the incidence and severity of primary and recurrent genital herpes was investigated in the female guinea pig mode l of herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 2 genital infection. After prophylacti c immunization with zwitterionic detergent-solubilized HSV-1 glycoproteins formulated with alhydrogel or as immunostimulating complex particles, signi ficant reductions in the incidence and severity of primary herpetic illness were observed in both vaccinated groups compared with immunization-naive c ontrols. There was a significant reduction in the incidence of spontaneous herpetic recurrences after administration of HSV-1 antigens formulated as i mmunostimulatory complexes to guinea pigs in a prophylactic mode (P < .01). Increased levels of both postimmunization and postchallenge ELISA and neut ralizing antibodies were significant correlates of protection against prima ry herpetic disease in a prophylactic scenario. However, no correlation was observed between elevated ELISA or neutralizing antibody levels and protec tion against recurrent disease following prophylactic or therapeutic admini stration of HSV-1 subunit vaccines.