Final answer:
HSV-1 latency associated transcripts (LATs) are crucial for the virus's ability to remain latent within nervous tissue and evade the host immune system.
Step-by-step explanation:
HSV-1 Latency Associated Transcripts (LATs) Function:
The herpes simplex viruses (HSV-1 and HSV-2) are notorious for their ability to cause recurrent infections due to their capacity to enter a latent state within the body. The HSV-1 latency associated transcripts (LATs) play a crucial role in the latency and reactivation of the virus. During latency, the virus resides in the nervous tissue, particularly in sensory neurons within ganglia such as the trigeminal ganglion or the lumbar-sacral ganglia, and makes few viral proteins, avoiding detection by the immune system.
Eventually, the latent herpes simplex virus can be reactivated, which leads to the production of new virions and the appearance of symptoms like cold sores. Stressful conditions can often trigger the reactivation of the virus. Since the herpesvirus can be transmitted even in the absence of obvious lesions, it is a clinical concern and poses challenges in managing and preventing transmission of the virus.
Clinical Concerns and Neonatal Herpes Transmission:
Latent herpesvirus infections are of clinical concern because the virus can reactivate and be transmitted even when no symptoms are present. This is especially troubling in cases of neonatal herpes, which is contracted mainly through childbirth when a newborn is exposed to HSV-1 or HSV-2 present in the birth canal. To manage latent herpesvirus infections and prevent potential outbreaks and transmissions, it is essential to understand the behavior of latency associated transcripts and the immune evasion tactics of HSV.