Herpes simplex virus (HSV), a kind of double-stranded DNA virus, mainly causes cutaneous and mucosal infections which manifest as oral herpes, herpetic dermatitis, herpes genitals, and so on. Latent infection and periodical relapse are pathogenic characteristics of HSV, and repeated recurrence may lead to nerve dysfunction. After entering the human body, HSV can stimulate innate and acquired immune responses, with innate immune cells, cytokines and T lymphocytes all involved in viral clearance. In addition, host cells can also inhibit the replication and spread of virus by initiating cell apoptosis. However, in some cases, HSV can escape from the clearance of immune cells through latent infection and other mechanisms, which is an important reason why HSV cannot be completely cleared. In order to decrease the frequency of virus recurrence, some HSV proteins have been developed as vaccines, but have not been applied in clinic. Therefore, to clarify HSV-induced immune responses and mechanisms underlying its immune escape is of great significance for disease prevention, treatment and new drug development.

Herpes simplex; Simplexvirus; Immunity; Herpes simplex virus vaccines; Immune response