Which herpes simplex type is latent in the trigeminal ganglia?

Which herpes simplex type is latent in the trigeminal ganglia?

• A. HSV-2
• B. HSV-1
• C. Varicella-zoster virus
• D. Cytomegalovirus

Answer: (B)

Herpesviruses persist in sensory ganglia after a primary infection. The type that typically uses the trigeminal ganglion as its latent reservoir is HSV-1, which is also the usual cause of oral herpes. Reactivation can produce cold sores on the face supplied by the trigeminal nerve. HSV-2, by contrast, tends to remain latent in sacral ganglia and is more often linked to genital herpes. Varicella-zoster virus remains latent in dorsal root and certain cranial nerve ganglia and reactivates as shingles, while cytomegalovirus establishes latency in various cells (like monocytes) and reactivates mainly in immunocompromised individuals.

Herpesviruses persist in sensory ganglia after a primary infection. The type that typically uses the trigeminal ganglion as its latent reservoir is HSV-1, which is also the usual cause of oral herpes. Reactivation can produce cold sores on the face supplied by the trigeminal nerve. HSV-2, by contrast, tends to remain latent in sacral ganglia and is more often linked to genital herpes. Varicella-zoster virus remains latent in dorsal root and certain cranial nerve ganglia and reactivates as shingles, while cytomegalovirus establishes latency in various cells (like monocytes) and reactivates mainly in immunocompromised individuals.