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Growth of herpes simplex type 1 on skin explants of atopic eczema
Author(s) -
GOODYEAR H.M.,
DAVIES J.A.,
MCLEISH P.,
BUCHAN A.,
SKINNER G.R.B.,
WINTHER M.,
HARPER J.I.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
clinical and experimental dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.587
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1365-2230
pISSN - 0307-6938
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2230.1996.tb00059.x
Subject(s) - medicine , sick child , queen (butterfly) , family medicine , library science , pediatrics , computer science , hymenoptera , botany , biology
Summary In a novel approach to looking at why some children with atopic eczema are susceptible to cutaneous herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections, this study evaluates the hypothesis that HSV replicates more easily on eczematous than normal skin. Growth of HSV on eczematous skin explants was compared wild growth on explants from three control groups (psoriasis, Darier's disease and normal skin) over a 2‐day period. Growth of HSV was significantly less on normal skin than in atopic eczema, psoriasis and Darier's disease. Virus replicated more quickly, and grew to higher titre within 24h, in eczematous and psoriatic explants than in normal skin. A defect in skin barrier function and host defence factors including local cytokine secretion are discussed as possible mechanisms in causing the increased susceptibility of children with atopic eczema to HSV infection.