Cover photograph (Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.): Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection of astrocytes in murine optic nerve. The time course for delivery and transport of two major HSV proteins has been determined for mature mouse retinal ganglion cell axons in vivo. One day after intravitreal injection of HSV, mice were treated with valacyclovir to inhibit subsequent viral replication. Without treatment, viral spread and replication in periaxonal glial cells confounded study of axonal transport, as seen in the photo. HSV is labeled in yellow, glial fibrillary acidic protein (a marker for astrocytes) is labeled in red, and the nuclei of astrocytes are labeled in blue. (See related article in June 2003: vol. 77, issue 11, p. 6117.)