What is a Latent Infection?

Latent infection A persistent infection state of a virus. After the primary infection, the viral genes are present in certain tissues or cells, and no infectious virus can be produced. No clinical symptoms appear. Under certain conditions, the virus is activated to proliferate, and symptoms of an acute attack of infection occur. The virus can be detected during an acute attack.

Latent infection

Latent infection A persistent infection state of a virus. After the primary infection, the viral genes are present in certain tissues or cells, and no infectious virus can be produced. No clinical symptoms appear. Under certain conditions, the virus is activated to proliferate, and symptoms of an acute attack of infection occur. The virus can be detected during an acute attack.

For example, herpes simplex virus infection lurks in the trigeminal ganglia, at this time the body has neither clinical symptoms nor virus excretion. Due to the influence of the body's immunity, fatigue, environment, endocrine and radiation, the latent virus is activated and reaches the skin and mucous membrane along the sensory nerve, causing herpes simplex on the lips.

Varicella-zoster virus can also cause latent infections: after the first infection in children, chickenpox is caused; and viruses that lie in the posterior root ganglia of the spinal cord or brain sensory ganglia in the body cause latent viruses when the body's cellular immune function is low Activation, along the sensory nerves to reach the skin epithelial cells, tandem vesicular herpes occurs, which often occur in the chest, abdomen, back, and face, and local severe pain is more common in adults and elderly people.