Nonspecific local immune inhibition of herpes simplex virus keratitis.

Rabbit cornea, which had recovered from initial sensitization to bovine serum albumin were found to possess immune memory capable of responding to a totally different antigenic stimulus, i.e., viable herpes simplex virus. Two months after BSA sensitization these corneas were found to be extremely resistant to primary infection by the virus. The long term residence of mononuclear leukocytes in the cornea, following BSA sensitization, is apparently responsible for this non-specific immune phenomenon.