Cell-to-cell transmission of HSV-1 in differentiated keratinocytes promotes multinucleated giant cell formation

The herpes simplex viruses (HSVs) are neurotropic and epidermotropic viruses that cause a wide range of clinical disorders with primary and recurrent infections. A disseminated HSV-1 infection of the skin, eczema herpeticum, is commonly seen in patients with atopic dermatitis, suggesting impaired barrier function and dysregulated immune response in these patients [1,2].