HSV membrane glycoproteins, their function in viral entry and their use in vaccine studies

It has been estimated that the 90% of the world population is affected by HSV-1 or HSV-2 infections. Clinical manifestations associated with these infectious agents range from cold sores and genital lesions to keratitis, encephalitis and meningoencephalitis. Nowadays these viruses represent a global health and economic burden. Despite a century of scientific research a vaccine for HSV-1 and HSV-2 viruses is still not available. However, in the last years HSV glycoproteins have strongly emerged as putative candidates for vaccine development. In this chapter we provide insights into HSV glycoproteins structure, function and the current state of art in the development of a vaccine for these pathogens.