Rapid and effective host responses keep herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2) at bay, preventing genital mucosa lesions. However, periodic shedding and frequent reactivation of the latent virus allow for silent transmission, posing a challenge to virus elimination. The rapid clearance of HSV-2 in the genital mucosa by resident and virus-specific immune cells that persist in the mucosa suggests new ways to harness the immune system to develop effective therapies.
- Joshua T Schiffer
- Lawrence Corey
