Short Communication Analysis of herpes simplex virus type 1 restriction fragment length polymorphism variants associated with herpes gladiatorum and Kaposi's varicelliform eruption in sumo wrestlers

inorolabial lesions has led to a dispersion–replacement hypothesis for these variants. Thepathogenic properties of HSV-1 variants in mice and professional sumo wrestlers were examinedhere. The wrestlers herpes gladiatorum (HG) was caused by primary and non-primary HSV-1infections and recurred in many wrestlers. HSV-1 neutralizing antibody titres in sera from wrestlerswho did not develop HG were relatively high. HG was caused by distinct HSV-1 variants andstrains from wrestlers living in the same sumo stable. The BgK