Herpetic Vestibular Neuritis: An Experimental Study

Abstract

An animal model of vestibular neuritis was developed by inoculating herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) into the auricle of mice. Postural deviation was observed in 5 of 99 mice at 6 to 8 days after inoculation. Following evaluation of the vestibular function, the animals were sacrificed and the vestibular nerves examined for histopathology and immunohisto-chemically. All mice developed postural deviation, presented as abnormal behaviour; they could not perform various vestibular tasks, such as gait, traversing a narrow path, climbing a rope, negative geotaxis, grasping a rod, and swimming. Degeneration of Scarpa's ganglion was observed in 4 of 5 mice that developed postural deviation, while HSV-1 antigens were found in 2 of them. No such histological findings were seen in animals with normal vestibular function.

Key Words:

• vestibular neuritis
• evaluation of the vestibular function
• Scarpa's ganglion
• HSV-1 antigens
• immunohistochemical study