I carried out restriction endonuclease analysis of DNA using BamHI and Sall for herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) strains isolated from saliva and tears, body fluids both supplied by the trigeminal nerve in an individual.
The samples consisted of 32 strains which were isolated from both saliva and tears or from bilateral tears simultaneously. They were comprised of 19 strains from 8 oral surgical patients with malignant tumors and 13 strains from 6 patients who underwent opthalomological surgery.
20 out of the 32 strains (62.5%) showed different DNA cleavage patterns with BamHI and Sall. Different strains of HSV-1 were excreted in the saliva and tears or in the bilateral tears from 9 out of 14 patients (64.3%). In the remaining 12 strains from 5 patients, the DNA cleavage patterns by Sall showed similar patterns.
These results suggested the presence of a latent dual infection of HSV-1.