Studies of varicella-zoster virus gene expression during latency require the acquisition of human ganglia at autopsy. Concerns have been raised that the virus might reactivate immediately after death. Because features of varicella-zoster virus latency are similar in primate and human ganglia, we examined virus gene expression in tissues either processed immediately or kept at 4°C for 30 h befor...

The anticomplement immunofluorescence (ACIF) test was compared with the fluorescent antibody-to-membrane antigen (FAMA) test for determining varicella-zoster virus antibody levels as a measure of varicella-zoster virus immunity status. The ACIF test was found to be comparable to the FAMA test in sensitivity and could be used for examining sera at low dilutions of 1:2 and 1:4. In addition, the A...

acyclovir (9-[2-hydroxyethoxymethyl] guanine) is an acyclic nucleoside analogue of guanosine which is a potent and selective antiviral agent. acycloviris converted to the monophosphate by thymidine kinase the virus-specific form of this enzyme and is subsequently converted to the triphosphate by the host cell kinase. acyclovir triphosphate inhibits viral dna-polymerase terminating the chain and...

Varicella zoster virus (VZV) causes two diseases: Varicella, a generalized, primary infection, and herpes zoster (zoster), a secondary infection caused by latent VZV reactivation. Zoster can also be caused by latent VZV reactivation after a varicella vaccination. The complications associated with varicella include cutaneous infections, which are the most common, as well as pulmonary and neurolo...

UNLABELLED Varicella zoster is an acute viral infection that results from reactivation of a latent varicella zoster virus. It usually occurs in adult population and immune compromised patients. It rarely occurs in healthy children. Here we present a 14 years old male with varicella zoster that had abdominal pain mimicking acute abdomen to alert others who are consulted for the differentiation o...

After a discussion of the principles of antiviral chemotherapy, treatment and chemoprophylaxis of the following virus infections are reviewed in detail: the various manifestations of herpes simplex virus infections, varicella-zoster, cytomegalovirus infections, Epstein-Barr virus infections, laryngeal papillomas, and influenza A. Special reference is made to the treatment of immunocompromized p...

Herpes zoster infection occurs owing to reactivation of varicella zoster virus and classically manifests as a vesicular eruption involving a single dermatome. Disseminated herpes zoster - defined as having greater than twenty vesicles outside the primary or adjacent dermatome - is uncommon and typically occurs in immunocompromised individuals. Central nervous system complications during or foll...

INTRODUCTION Varicella zoster virus is an exclusively human neurotrophic virus. The primary infection with the virus causes varicella. The virus remains latent in nervous tissue and upon secondary activation causes a variety of syndromes involving the central nervous system (CNS) including meningoencephalitis and cerebellitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this study, we looked at the epidemiology...

Although varicella zoster virus latency has been demonstrated in several sensory ganglia, herpes zoster usually effects only one single, either left or right, dermatome in half of the body. In immunocompromised patients, more than one contiguous unilateral dermatome may be involved. Bilateral non-contiguous herpes zoster, also termed herpes zoster duplex, is rarely reported. Chronic varicella z...

Varicella-zoster virus was serially propagated in a chemically transformed and cloned line of embryo cells (designated "104 C1") derived from the inbred strain 2 guinea pig. When strain 2 guinea pigs were immunized with varicella-zoster virus subcultivated in the syngeneic cell line, they produced high-titer virus-specific antiserum which lacked antibody against cellular determinants. This immu...