Publications

host and viral traits predict zoonotic spillover from mammals.	the majority of human emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic, with viruses that originate in wild mammals of particular concern (for example, hiv, ebola and sars). understanding patterns of viral diversity in wildlife and determinants of successful cross-species transmission, or spillover, are therefore key goals for pandemic surveillance programs. however, few analytical tools exist to identify which host species are likely to harbour the next human virus, or which viruses can cross species ...	2017	28636590
Epstein-barr virus coinfection in cerebrospinal fluid is associated with increased mortality in malawian adults with bacterial meningitis.	Mortality from adult bacterial meningitis exceeds 50% in sub-Saharan Africa. We postulated that-particularly in individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-herpes simplex virus, varicella zoster virus, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and cytomegalovirus (CMV) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) contribute to poor outcome. CSF from 149 Malawian adults with bacterial meningitis and 39 controls were analyzed using polymerase chain reaction. EBV was detected in 79 of 149 bacterial meningitis ...	2012	22075766
Detection of herpes simplex virus (1 and 2), varicella-zoster virus, cytomegalovirus, human herpesvirus 6 and enterovirus in immunocompetent tunisian patients with acute neuromeningeal disorder.	Enteroviruses (EVs) and human herpesviruses (HHVs) are involved frequently in acute neurological disorders of viral etiology. This study aimed to investigate the incidence of herpes simplex virus types-1 (HSV-1) and 2 (HSV-2), varicella-zoster virus (VZV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) and human enteroviruses (EVs) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples of Tunisian immunocompetent patients with neuromeningeal disorders. The patients had been hospitalized at the Fattouma Bourgu ...	2012	22170549
Maxillary osteonecrosis and spontaneous teeth exfoliation following herpes zoster.	BACKGROUND: Reports of osteonecrosis and spontaneous tooth loss following herpes zoster infection of the fifth cranial are extremely rare. Only 39 previously recorded cases of post-zoster osteonecrosis have been found in the literature. The unusual feature of the case of interest to the dental surgeon is a rare complication of tooth exfoliation and maxillary osteonecrosis. CASE REPORT: This article reports a case ...	2011	22069058
Communicable diseases prioritized for surveillance and epidemiological research: results of a standardized prioritization procedure in Germany, 2011.	To establish strategic priorities for the German national public health institute (RKI) and guide the institute's mid-term strategic decisions, we prioritized infectious pathogens in accordance with their importance for national surveillance and epidemiological research.	2011	21991334
a critical role for stat3 transcription factor signaling in the development and maintenance of human t cell memory.	stat3 transcription factor signaling in specific t helper cell differentiation has been well described, although the broader roles for stat3 in lymphocyte memory are less clear. patients with autosomal-dominant hyper-ige syndrome (ad-hies) carry dominant-negative stat3 mutations and are susceptible to a variety of bacterial and fungal infections. we found that ad-hies patients have a cell-intrinsic defect in the number of central memory cd4(+) and cd8(+) t cells compared to healthy controls. nai ...	2011	22118528
genetic factors influence serological measures of common infections.	antibodies against infectious pathogens provide information on past or present exposure to infectious agents. while host genetic factors are known to affect the immune response, the influence of genetic factors on antibody levels to common infectious agents is largely unknown. here we test whether antibody levels for 13 common infections are significantly heritable.	2011	21996708
varicella zoster virus meningoencephalitis accompanied by rhabdomyolysis without skin eruption.	we report a case of a 38-year-old man with a varicella zoster virus (vzv) reactivation who manifested meningoencephalitis accompanied by rhabdomyolysis without a skin eruption. during the acute phase, vzv dna was detected in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (csf) by the polymerase chain reaction (pcr). after 16 days, all symptoms and signs resolved, and follow-up pcr studies revealed negative conversion of vzv in the serum and csf. we discuss the possible underlying mechanism of vzv reactivation in ...	2011	21932091
herpes zoster incidence in a multicenter cohort of solid organ transplant recipients.	immunosuppressed patients are at increased risk for herpes zoster (hz), but incidence in solid organ transplant (sot) recipients has varied in multiple studies. to assess incidence of hz, we examined patients who underwent sot and received follow-up care within the large multicenter us department of veteran's affairs healthcare system.	2011	20636480
acute lymphoblastic leukemia complicated with varicella zoster virus meningoencephalitis and visceral dissemination after related bone marrow transplantation.	meningitis or encephalitis by varicella-zoster virus (vzv) after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (hsct) is rarely reported. we encountered a case of meningoencephalitis with vzv re-activation 18 months after related bone marrow transplantation for recurrent acute lymphoblastic leukemia. the patient had been administered steroid and cyclosporine for chronic graft-versus-host disease. a high dna copy number of vzv, 4.9×10(7) copies was detected in the cerebrospinal fluid. vzv also caused s ...	2011	21646775
the shingles vaccine. question: if you've had shingles, should you get the vaccine to protect yourself from getting it again?		2011	21649970
expression of hsv-1 encoded mirnas in human trigeminal ganglia and their relation to local t-cell infiltrates.	herpes simplex type-1 (hsv-1) is a neurotropic virus which establishes lifelong latency in human trigeminal ganglia (tg). currently, two non-exclusive control mechanisms of hsv-1 latency are discussed: anti-viral cd8(+) t cells and viral micro rnas (mirna) encoded by the latency associated transcript (lat). here we investigate to what extent these mechanisms may contribute to the maintenance of hsv-1 latency. in the current study we show, that only a small proportion of lat(+) neurons is surroun ...	2011	21795359
an unusual variant of ramsay hunt syndrome.		2011	21785398
emerging drugs for varicella-zoster virus infections.	introduction: varicella-zoster virus (vzv) is the etiological agent of two distinct diseases, varicella (chickenpox) and shingles (herpes zoster). chickenpox occurs following primary infection, while herpes zoster (usually associated with ageing and immunosuppression) is the consequence of reactivation of the latent virus. post-herpetic neuralgia is the major complication of shingles. areas covered: this review will discuss vaccination strategies and the current status of antivirals against vzv. ...	2011	21699441
human immunoglobulin g levels of viruses and associated glioma risk.	few consistent etiological factors have been identified for primary brain tumors. inverse associations to asthma and low levels of varicella-zoster virus, immunoglobulin (ig) levels in prevalent cases have indicted a role for the immune system in the development of glioma. because samples from prevalent cases of glioma could be influenced by treatments such as steroids and chemotherapy, we investigated pre-diagnostic samples from three large scandinavian cohorts. to test the hypothesis that immu ...	2011	21717196
novel 1,2,4-triazole and purine acyclic cyclopropane nucleoside analogues: synthesis, antiviral and cytostatic activity evaluations.	several published studies indicate that the acyclic guanine nucleoside analogues possessing bis(1,2-hydroxymethyl) substituted cyclopropane rings mimicking the sugar moiety are potent inhibitors of replication of several herpes viruses.	2011	21730369
Varicella zoster virus (VZV) infects and establishes latency in enteric neurons.	Case reports have linked varicella-zoster virus (VZV) to gastrointestinal disorders, including severe abdominal pain preceding fatal varicella and acute colonic pseudoobstruction (Ogilvie's syndrome). Because we had previously detected DNA and transcripts encoding latency-associated VZV gene products in the human gut, we sought to determine whether latent VZV is present in the human enteric nervous system (ENS) and, if so, to identify the cells in which it is located and its route to the bowel. ...	2011	22190254
Varicella zoster virus: complications in an ANCA-positive vasculitis.		2011	21959737
Case report: successful epiradicular peripheral nerve stimulation of the c2 dorsal root ganglion for postherpetic neuralgia.	Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is the most common complication following an acute varicella zoster virus infection. PHN often results in a chronic severe pain condition refractory to conservative pain management treatments. Peripheral nerve stimulation over the affected spinal nerve root may be an effective treatment option for patients with intractable PHN.	2011	21992163
guillain-barre syndrome presenting with sensory disturbance following a herpes virus infection: a case report.	abstract: introduction: we present a case of an unusual clinical manifestation of guillain-barre syndrome following a pre-existing herpes virus infection. although there have been several reports describing the co-existence of herpes virus infection and guillain-barre syndrome, we undertook a more in-depth study of the cross-reactivity between herpes viruses and recommend a follow-up study based on serology tests. case presentation: a 39-year-old healthy caucasian man with guillain-barre syndro ...	2011	22136568
review: the neurobiology of varicella zoster virus infection.	varicella zoster virus (vzv) is a neurotropic herpesvirus that infects nearly all humans. primary infection usually causes chickenpox (varicella), after which virus becomes latent in cranial nerve ganglia, dorsal root ganglia and autonomic ganglia along the entire neuraxis. although vzv cannot be isolated from human ganglia, nucleic acid hybridization and, later, polymerase chain reaction proved that vzv is latent in ganglia. declining vzv-specific host immunity decades after primary infection a ...	2011	21342215
the immunogenicity and safety of live attenuated varicella-zoster virus vaccine in human immunodeficiency virus-infected children.	the live attenuated varicella vaccine is recommended for hiv-infected children who are not severely immunosuppressed. this study aimed to assess the immunogenicity and safety of varicella vaccination among hiv-infected children who had severe immunosuppression before receiving antiretroviral therapy.	2011	20975615
vaccine-related varicella-zoster rash in a hospitalized immunocompetent patient.	an immunocompetent health care worker with no known history of varicella-zoster virus (vzv) disease was exposed to a patient with herpes zoster and was immunized 2 days later. twenty-seven days after receiving the varicella vaccine, while hospitalized, she developed a disseminated rash. this exposure and subsequent development of symptoms posed infection control challenges. a polymerase chain reaction analysis of her vesicular fluid was positive for vaccine-type vzv, and a blood specimen collect ...	2011	21269735
identification and functional characterization of the varicella zoster virus orf11 gene product.	the deletion of orf11 severely impaired vzv infection of human skin xenografts. here, we investigate the characteristics and functions of the orf11 gene product. orf11 is expressed as a 118kda polypeptide in vzv-infected cells; the protein is present in the nucleus and cytoplasm and is incorporated into vz virions. although orf11 had little effect in transactivating vzv gene promoters in transfection assays, deleting orf11 from the virus was associated with reduced expression of immediate early ...	2011	21276599
herpes zoster in the distribution of the trigeminal nerve after nonablative fractional photothermolysis of the face: report of 3 cases.		2011	21281388
zoster sine herpete: virologic verification by detection of anti-vzv igg antibody in csf.		2011	21282595
herp zoster at the site of infliximab infusion: case report.	worldwide, many patients have been treated with tumor necrosis factor-a (tnf-a) antagonists for indications that include chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and others. since their approval, concerns regarding safety have been raised. increased susceptibility to bacterial infections, especially due to intracellular bacteria like mycobacterium tuberculosis that is responsible for the most serious complications associated with this t ...	2011	21299443
epidemiology and prevention of viral infections in patients with hematologic malignancies.	viral infections are some of the most frequent complications in patients with hematologic malignancies are viral infections. infections caused by cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus, varicella zoster virus, hepatitis b virus and influenza virus are associated with high morbidity and mortality in this vulnerable population. fortunately, a growing number of antiviral medications and vaccines are allowing for more effective prophylaxis against these pathogens. this article reviews the epidemiolog ...	2011	21303338
entrapment of viral capsids in nuclear pml cages is an intrinsic antiviral host defense against varicella-zoster virus.	the herpesviruses, like most other dna viruses, replicate in the host cell nucleus. subnuclear domains known as promyelocytic leukemia protein nuclear bodies (pml-nbs), or nd10 bodies, have been implicated in restricting early herpesviral gene expression. these viruses have evolved countermeasures to disperse pml-nbs, as shown in cells infected in vitro, but information about the fate of pml-nbs and their functions in herpesvirus infected cells in vivo is limited. varicella-zoster virus (vzv) is ...	2011	21304940
phenotypic and genetic characterization of varicella-zoster virus mutants resistant to acyclovir, brivudine and/or foscarnet.	the treatment of varicella-zoster virus (vzv) reactivation is based on nucleoside analogues acyclovir (acv) and bromevinyldeoxyuridine (bvdu) and a phosphonic acid derivative (pfa). drug-resistant mutants of 3 wild-type (wt) vzv strains were obtained by exposure of human retinal pigment epithelial (hrpe) cells inoculated with cell-free wt virus at increasing concentrations of acv, bvdu, and pfa. in addition to single-drug resistance, a cross-resistance of isolates vs. acv was observed for pfa-re ...	2011	21373931
varicella-zoster virus infection triggers formation of an interleukin-1+¦ (il-1+¦)-processing inflammasome complex.	innate cellular immunity is the immediate host response against pathogens, and activation of innate immunity also modulates the induction of adaptive immunity. the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (nod)-like receptors (nlrs) are a family of intracellular receptors that recognize conserved patterns associated with intracellular pathogens, but information about their role in the host defense against dna viruses is limited. here we report that varicella-zoster virus (vzv), an alphaherpesvi ...	2011	21385879
viral etiology of aseptic meningitis among children in southern iran.	aseptic meningitis refers to a clinical syndrome of meningeal inflammation in which bacteria cannot be identified in the cerebrospinal fluid (csf). the viral etiology and the epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of aseptic meningitis among children aged 2 months to 15 years in shiraz, southern iran were determined. from may 2007 to april 2008, 65 patients were admitted to the hospital with aseptic meningitis. seven viruses, non-polio human enteroviruses, mumps virus, herpes ...	2011	21412795
household size is critical to varicella-zoster virus transmission in the tropics despite lower viral infectivity.	the epidemiology and severity of infections can vary dramatically in different geographical regions. varicella zoster virus (vzv) is a particularly tractable model for investigating such global differences, since infections can be unambiguously identified. vzv is spread by aerosol to cause chickenpox, which, in temperate countries, is a relatively benign childhood infection; yet in tropical countries it tends to occur at later age, a trend associated with markedly increased severity including co ...	2011	21420656
effect of menstrual cycle variation in female sex hormones on cellular immunity and regulation.	ovarian steroid hormones reduce cell-mediated immunity (cmi), perhaps by increasing regulatory t cells. we examined the relationship of estrogen and progesterone plasma concentrations during the menstrual cycle with circulating regulatory t cells (treg cells) and with varicella-zoster virus (vzv)-specific lymphocyte proliferation (vzv-lpa). twenty healthy and 20 hiv-infected women were tested at 1-4, 10-14, and 20-24days of the menstrual cycle. hiv-infected women experienced significant increase ...	2011	21429588
single tube multiplex real-time pcr for the rapid detection of herpesvirus infections of the central nervous system.	human herpesvirus infection of immunocompromised hosts may lead to central nervous system (cns) infection and diseases. in this study, a single tube multiplex real-time pcr was developed for the detection of five herpesviruses (hsv-1, hsv-2, vzv, ebv and cmv) in clinical cerebrospinal fluid (csf) specimens. two primer pairs specific for the herpesvirus polymerase gene and five hybridization probe pairs for the specific identification of the herpesvirus types were used in a lightcycler multiplex ...	2011	21466846
detection of follicular fluid and serum antibodies by protein microarrays in women undergoing in vitro fertilization treatment.	a protein microarray serological assay was used to assess the antibody profile of 102 women subjected to in vitro fertilization treatment. the studies were conducted on pairs of serum and follicular fluid samples, collected from each woman on the same day at the time of oocyte recovery. the samples, stored as frozen aliquotes, were assessed by both microarray and elisa. follicular fluids and sera were screened to detect the presence of specific igg and igm antibodies against seven vertically tra ...	2011	21477867
teaching neuroimages: mri findings in varicella zoster brachial plexus neuritis.		2011	21482943
natalizumab and hsv meningitis.	natalizumab (tysabri, biogen idec and elan pharmaceuticals) is a monoclonal antibody approved for use in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (ms) as well as moderate to severe crohn's disease. we report the first case of a patient with a history of ms, on monthly natalizumab, who developed hsv-2 meningitis. we discuss the mechanism of action of natalizumab and review what is known about the reactivation of herpes infection in association with this medication. the question of herpes simple ...	2011	21487835
identification of herpesvirus types 1-8 in oral cavity of children/adolescents with chronic renal failure.	j oral pathol med (2011) the aim of this investigation was to identify the prevalence of herpesvirus types 1-8 in the oral cavity of subjects with chronic renal failure (crf) and healthy subjects and compare the two groups, and also correlate the presence of the virus with some characteristics of crf disease (the type of treatment, drugs administered for crf and the presence of oral manifestations). the sample was made up of 60 subjects (aged 4-20) divided into the renal group (rg) and healthy g ...	2011	21501230
varicella zoster virus infection of neurons derived from human embryonic stem cells: direct demonstration of axonal infection, transport of vzv and productive neuronal infection.	study of the human neurotrophic herpesvirus varicella zoster virus (vzv) and its ability to infect neurons has been severely limited by strict viral human tropism and limited accessibility of human neurons for experimentation. human embryonic stem cells (hesc) can be differentiated to all the cell types of the body including neurons and are therefore a potentially unlimited source of human neurons to study their interactions with human neurotropic viruses. we report here reproducible infection o ...	2011	21525353
differences between the varicella vaccines; using dabigatran.		2011	21534377
molecular analysis of varicella vaccines and varicella-zoster virus from vaccine-related skin lesions.	to prevent complications that might follow an infection with varicella-zoster virus (vzv), the live attenuated oka strain (v-oka) is administered to children in many developed countries. three vaccine brands (varivax from sanofi pasteur msd; varilrix and priorix-tetra, both from glaxo-smith-kline) are licensed in germany that have been associated both with different degrees of vaccine effectiveness and adverse effects. to identify genetic variants in the vaccines that might contribute to rash-as ...	2011	21562115
chronic virus infections supress atopy but not asthma in a set of children from a large latin american city: a cross-section study.	abstract: background: the prevalence of allergic diseases has increased over recent decades in affluent countries, but remains low in rural populations and some non-affluent countries. an explanation for these trends is that increased exposure to infections may provide protection against the development of allergy. in this work we investigated the association between exposure to viral infections in children living in urban brazil and the prevalence of atopy and asthma. methods: school age childr ...	2011	21569568
efficacy of continuous, daily, oral, ultra-low-dose 200 mg acyclovir to prevent herpes zoster events among bortezomib-treated patients: a report from retrospective study.	objective: herpes zoster is the most common infection in patients treated with bortezomib-containing regimens for multiple myeloma. some clinical trials have reported on the use of acyclovir prophylaxis to decrease the incidence of herpes zoster. however, the appropriate acyclovir dose and duration of prophylaxis remain unclear. the primary objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of continuous oral 200 mg/day acyclovir prophylaxis and the secondary objective was to determine the ris ...	2011	21616919
loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay for the diagnosis of retinitis caused by herpes simplex virus-1.	a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (lamp) assay was developed for the detection of herpes simplex virus 1 (hsv-1). the specificity of the assay was tested using dna extracted from hsv-1-infected rabbit corneal epithelium cultures, hsv-2 grown on vero cell line, cytomegalovirus (cmv) (ad-169), varicella zoster virus (vzv) (oka-vaccine), adenovirus, aspergillus flavus and staphylococcus aureus. the specificity of lamp was confirmed by bidirectional sequencing of the amplicons. the sensitivit ...	2011	20298270
an international comparison of current strategies to prevent herpesvirus and fungal infections in hematopoietic cell transplant recipients.	herpes virus (cytometalovirus [cmv], herpes simplex virus, varicella zoster virus) and invasive fungal infections continue to cause significant morbidity and mortality in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (hct) recipients despite the availability of effective therapies. in this study, we developed an internet-based survey, which was distributed to all hematopoietic cell transplant centers participating in the center for international blood and marrow transplant research (cibmtr) program, ...	2011	20699126
a boy with a one-sided red rash.	we report on a boy with a sudden onset of unilateral skin lesions following tonsillar infection with fever 2 weeks before. the lesions consisted of erythematous macules with scaling affecting trunk, axillar, as well as inguinal region. crp, blood differential, serum igg and igm antibodies (coxsackievirus, cytomegalovirus, parvovirus, herpes virus, varicella zoster virus, human herpesvirus-6/-7), and lesional swabs (bacteria, dermatophytes, yeasts) were uneventful.	2011	20803032
role of human herpes virus 6 in corneal inflammation alone or with human herpesviruses.	: the purpose of this study was to determine the association of human herpes virus 6 (hhv-6) and/or other human herpesviruses in corneal inflammation using polymerase chain reaction (pcr).	2011	20847652
viral encephalitis after allogeneic stem cell transplantation: a rare complication with distinct characteristics of different causative agents.	limited data are available on characteristics of viral encephalitis in patients after allogeneic stem cell transplantation.	2011	20851868
effect of time delay after necropsy on analysis of simian varicella-zoster virus expression in latently infected ganglia of rhesus macaques.	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 before necropsy of two monkeys inoculated with simian varicella-zoster virus and euthanized 117 days later. ...	2010	20861271
motor radiculopathy caused by varicella zoster virus without skin lesions ('zoster sine herpete').		2010	20863615
varicella infection and the impact of late entry into the irish healthcare system.	we present a case which highlights several areas of concern relating to the prevention and management of varicella in ireland. we review the pathophysiology of this virus and highlight its greater potential for morbidity in certain groups, most particularly adult males. the experience and opinions with regard to varicella vaccination in the us and other temperate countries is reviewed along with evidence of changing epidemiology of varicella infection. the national immunisation advisory committe ...	2010	20869670
varicella-zoster virus meningoencephalitis without skin lesions in a paediatric kidney recipient.		2010	20935014
fulminant staphylococcus lugdunensis septicaemia following a pelvic varicella-zoster virus infection in an immune-deficient patient: a case report.	introduction: the deadly threat of systemic infections with coagulase negative staphylococcus lugdunensis despite an appropriate antibiotic therapy has only recently been recognized. the predominant infectious focus observed so far is left-sided native heart valve endocarditis, but bone and soft tissue infections, septicaemia and vascular catheter-related bloodstream infections have also been reported. we present a patient with a fatal staphylococcus lugdunensis septicaemia following zoster bact ...	2010	20952351
acute varicella-zoster virus necrotizing meningoencephalomyelitis with sudden visual loss and paraparesis in an hiv-infected patient.	we describe a case of acute varicella-zoster virus (vzv) hemorrhagic meningoencephalomyelitis in an hiv-infected patient. on admission the patient's csf was mild haemorrhagic and xanthochromic after centrifugation and he had thoracic skin blisters. vzv dna was isolated from both the thoracic blisters and csf. treatment consisted of aggressive antiviral, steroid and immunoglobulin therapy, which was able to stop disease progression. the patient survived but was left blind and paretic. in conclusi ...	2010	20954447
[herpes zoster oticus with cranial nerve affection].	herpes zoster oticus (hzo) with cranial polyneuropathy is also known as ramsay hunt syndrome (rhs). after primary varicella infection, the varicella zoster virus (vzv) remains dormant in the nervous system and can reactivate later in life causing rhs. this case describes a 56-year-old man with hzo and palsy of n. v, vii, viii, ix, x and xii. anti-viral agents might be effective in patients with rhs, although the only randomized controlled clinical trial on this subject found no significant benef ...	2010	20961509
varicella-zoster virus. preface.		2010	20973159
transcriptional coactivator hcf-1 couples the histone chaperone asf1b to hsv-1 dna replication components.	the cellular transcriptional coactivator hcf-1 interacts with numerous transcription factors as well as other coactivators and is a component of multiple chromatin modulation complexes. the protein is essential for the expression of the immediate early genes of both herpes simplex virus (hsv) and varicella zoster virus and functions, in part, by coupling chromatin modification components including the set1 or mll1 histone methyltransferases and the histone demethylase lsd1 to promote the install ...	2010	20133788
allo-hla reactivity of virus-specific memory t cells is common.	graft-versus-host disease and graft rejection are major complications of allogeneic hla-mismatched stem cell transplantation or organ transplantation that are caused by alloreactive t cells. because a range of acute viral infections have been linked to initiating these complications, we hypothesized that the cross-reactive potential of virus-specific memory t cells to allogeneic (allo) hla molecules may be able to mediate these complications. to analyze the allo-hla reactivity, t cells specific ...	2010	20160165
increasing incidence of herpes zoster among veterans.	the incidence of herpes zoster in the united states has been estimated to be > or =1 million cases annually, with a higher rate in adults older than 60 years. the morbidity of the disease, including postherpetic neuralgia, imposes significant effects on quality of life. we analyzed reports of herpes zoster in the veterans affairs (va) population because these patients are older and could provide a reflection of disease trends in the aging us population. these data will provide a baseline for fut ...	2010	20178416
simian varicella virus pathogenesis.	because varicella zoster virus (vzv) is an exclusively human pathogen, the development of an animal model is necessary to study pathogenesis, latency, and reactivation. the pathological, virological, and immunological features of simian varicella virus (svv) infection in nonhuman primates are similar to those of vzv infection in humans. both natural infection of cynomolgus and african green monkeys as well as intrabronchial inoculation of rhesus macaques with svv provide the most useful models t ...	2010	20186611
varicella-zoster virus meningoencephalitis in an immunocompetent patient without a rash.	varicella-zoster virus (vzv) is an unusual cause of meningoencephalitis in the immunocompetent patient. most cases of vzv-associated aseptic meningitis or encephalitis are associated with the skin rash of primary varicella, localized herpes zoster, or disseminated zoster. we report a case of vzv meningoencephalitis without a rash occurring in a normal host.	2010	20214542
simultaneous cocirculation of both european varicella-zoster virus genotypes (e1 and e2) in mexico city.	full-length genome analysis of varicella-zoster virus (vzv) has shown that viral strains can be classified into seven different genotypes: european (e), mosaic (m), and japanese (j), and the e and m genotypes can be further subclassified into e1, e2, and m1 through 4, respectively. the distribution of the main vzv genotypes in mexico was described earlier, demonstrating the predominance of e genotype, although other genotypes (m1 and m4) were also identified. however, no information regarding th ...	2010	20220168
varicella-zoster virus neurotropism in scid mouse-human dorsal root ganglia xenografts.	varicella-zoster virus (vzv) is a neurotropic human alphaherpesvirus and the causative agent of varicella and herpes zoster. vzv reactivation from latency in sensory nerve ganglia is a direct consequence of vzv neurotropism. investigation of vzv neuropathogenesis by infection of human dorsal root ganglion xenografts in immunocompromised (scid) mice has provided a novel system in which to examine vzv neurotropism. experimental infection with recombinant vzv mutants with targeted deletions or muta ...	2010	20225014
a literature review regarding the management of varicella-zoster virus.	chickenpox and shingles (varicella-zoster virus [vzv]) pose a threat to individuals who are immunosuppressed and/or have rheumatoid arthritis or another inflammatory musculoskeletal condition. in this paper we present a literature review of the condition, management and prevention.	2010	20301227
herpes zoster in older adults.	herpes zoster (hz) is a common condition among older adults, manifested by pain and the classic presentation of a unilateral rash that follows a dermatomal distribution and does not cross the midline of the body. it is caused by reactivation of the virus that caused chickenpox during an earlier infection. in many cases, acute hz is followed by a severe and disabling complication known as postherpetic neuralgia (phn), characterized by pain that persists for months or even years after the hz rash ...	2010	20302254
determination of the geographical origin of unidentified cadavers based on geographical differences in genotype of varicella-zoster virus.	a new method was developed for determining the geographical origin of unidentified cadavers by examining the genome of varicella-zoster virus (vzv), which resides latently throughout life in most individuals and the genotypes which show distinct geographical distribution. vzv dna samples extracted from the trigeminal ganglia of 62 cadavers (59 from japan, and 1 each from the united kingdom, mongolia, and pakistan) submitted for medico-legal autopsy were examined. sequencing was performed on a 35 ...	2010	20336724
varicella-zoster virus-induced apoptosis in mewo cells is accompanied by down-regulation of bcl-2 expression.	varicella-zoster virus infects multiple human and monkey cells in culture. the mode of cell death appears to be autophagy or apoptosis. analysis of vzv-infected human melanoma (mewo) cells revealed that bcl-2 mrna and protein levels were decreased significantly 64 and 72 hpi (hours post infection), accompanied by the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria into the cytoplasm. western blot analysis of virus-infected cells revealed activation of caspase-8, a marker for the extrinsic pathway of a ...	2010	20345323
detection of poliovirus-infected macrophages in thymus of patients with myasthenia gravis.	genetic and environmental factors are thought to contribute to the etiology of the autoimmune disease myasthenia gravis (mg). viral involvement has long been suspected, but direct evidence of involvement has not been found. we recently reported that toll-like receptor 4 (tlr4)-a key activator of innate immunity-was overexpressed in the thymus of some patients with mg, suggesting that thymic infection by pathogens might be involved in mg pathogenesis. we searched for evidence of intrathymic infec ...	2010	20368632
a case of nosocominal vzv transmission.		2010	20400368
modifications of c-2 on the pyrroloquinoline template aimed at the development of potent herpesvirus antivirals with improved aqueous solubility.	a series of c-2 pyrroloquinoline analogs designed to improve aqueous solubility were examined for herpesvirus polymerase and antiviral activity. several analogs were identified that maintained the antiviral activity of the previous development candidate against hcmv, hsv-1 and vzv, but with significantly improved aqueous solubility.	2010	20403696
detection of viral dna sequences in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with multiple sclerosis.	the role of viruses in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (ms) is a subject of heated debate. the presence of six different neurotropic viruses was sought, including jc virus (jcv), varicella zoster virus (vzv), human herpesvirus 6 (hhv-6), and epstein-barr virus (ebv), in cerebrospinal fluid (csf) samples collected from 51 patients with ms and 30 patients with other neurological diseases. cell-free or cell-associated viral dna in csf samples was detected by real-time pcr, and viral loads we ...	2010	20419821
famciclovir: a focus on efficacy and safety.	famciclovir is the prodrug of penciclovir, a guanosine analogue that inhibits viruses of the alpha sub-family of the herpesviridae, as well as hepatitis b virus. it is indicated for management of mucocutaneous herpes simplex virus disease and acute herpes zoster, and has been investigated for management of hepatitis b virus infection.	2010	20429777
viruses and langerhans cells.	langerhans cells (lcs) are the resident dendritic cells (dcs) of epidermis in human mucosal stratified squamous epithelium and the skin. a phenotypically similar dc has recently been discovered as a minor population in the murine dermis. in epidermis, lcs function as sentinel antigen-presenting cells that can capture invading viruses such as herpes simplex virus (hsv), varicella-zoster virus (vzv) and human immunodeficiency virus (hiv). this interaction between lcs and viruses results in highly ...	2010	20445632
varicella pneumonia in southern israel.		2010	20455287
vzv t cell-mediated immunity.	primary varicella-zoster virus (vzv) infection (varicella) induces vzv-specific antibody and vzv-specific t cell-mediated immunity. t cell-mediated immunity, which is detected within 1-2 weeks after appearance of rash, and consists of both cd4 and cd8 effector and memory t cells, is essential for recovery from varicella. administration of a varicella vaccine also generates vzv-specific humoral and cellular immune responses. the memory cell responses that develop during varicella or after vaccina ...	2010	20473790
varicella zoster virus in progressive forms of multiple sclerosis.	the apparent association between varicella zoster virus (vzv) and multiple sclerosis (ms) has been described. in patients with relapse/remission (r/r) ms we have found high loads of vzv dna in lymphocytes and in cerebrospinal fluid (csf), as well as abundant viral particles in csf visualized by electron microscopy at the time of relapse. both, the molecular and the ultrastructural evidence of vzv became negative in the same patients at the time of remission.	2010	20483530
severe pneumonia by aciclovir-resistant varicella-zoster virus during etanercept therapy.		2010	20484341
[mild cerebral oedema in a patient with vascular encephalopathy due to varicela-zoster virus: an unexpected complication].		2010	20487713
an eruption after herpes zoster infection. granulomatous reaction within atrophic vzv scars.		2010	20500203
[varicella and herpes zoster. part 1: virology, epidemiology, clinical picture, laboratory diagnostics].	varicella-zoster virus (vzv), known as one of the eight human herpesviridae, shows a ubiquitous distribution and is the cause for acute exanthema in childhood (chickenpox). vzv is highly infectious, spread by respiratory droplets and direct contact with fluid in vesicles. as a characteristic of the alpha-herpesviridae, vzv establishes latency in the nucleus of the paraspinal cells. reactivation of vzv (zoster) is possible in all infected persons, but becomes more common with increasing age and a ...	2010	20503007
systematic analysis of the igg antibody immune response against varicella zoster virus (vzv) using a self-assembled protein microarray.	varicella zoster virus (vzv) is a human herpesvirus encoding at least 69 distinct viral proteins which causes chickenpox after primary infection and shingles during reactivation and which is particularly important in pregnancy and immunocompromised patients. current serodiagnostic tests are either based on whole cell lysates or glycoprotein preparations. in order to investigate the humoral immune response to vzv infection or vaccination in more detail, and to improve the currently available diag ...	2010	20514382
identification of an important immunological difference between virulent varicella-zoster virus and its avirulent vaccine: viral disruption of dendritic cell instruction.	virulent varicella-zoster virus (vzv) can spread in immunocompetent humans, resulting in symptoms mostly of the skin. in contrast, vaccine oka (v-oka), the attenuated vzv vaccine strain, only rarely causes clinical reactions. the mechanisms underlying these pathogenetic differences are unclear. in this study, we comparatively analyzed the ability of virulent vzv and v-oka to modulate instruction of dendritic cells (dcs) by innate signals. dcs isolated from normal human skin were susceptible to i ...	2010	20525895
asp2151, a novel helicase-primase inhibitor, possesses antiviral activity against varicella-zoster virus and herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2.	to evaluate and describe the anti-herpesvirus effect of asp2151, amenamevir, a novel non-nucleoside oxadiazolylphenyl-containing herpesvirus helicase-primase complex inhibitor.	2010	20534624
[varicella and herpes zoster. part 2: therapy and prevention].	in germany, five antiviral agents are approved for antiviral therapy in zoster patients (acyclovir, valacyclovir, famciclovir, brivudine, and foscarnet). they should be administered within 72 h after rash onset and can significantly shorten viral replication and reduce the complications. in 2004, the german standing committee on vaccination (stiko) at the robert koch institute suggested the active immunization against varicella with a live attenuated varicella vaccine (oka strain) for all childr ...	2010	20582499
incidence of multiple herpesvirus infection in hiv seropositive patients, a big concern for eastern indian scenario.	human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) infection is associated with an increased risk for human herpes viruses (hhvs) and their related diseases and they frequently cause disease deterioration and therapeutic failures. methods for limiting the transmission of hhvs require a better understanding of the incidence and infectivity of oral hhvs in hiv-infected patients. this study was designed to determine the seroprevalence of human herpes viruses (cmv, hsv 2, ebv-1, vzv) antibodies and to evaluate thei ...	2010	20604948
severe meningoencephalitis due to late reactivation of varicella-zoster virus in an immunocompetent child.	recurrent reactivation of latent varicella-zoster virus may cause various neurological complications including encephalitis, myelitis, stroke episodes, and meningitis. it occurs mainly in elderly or immunocompromised patients and is very rare in children. we report a 14-year girl who presented with meningoencephalitis due to reactivation of varicella-zoster virus 10 years after she had chickenpox and 4 years after she had zoster. characteristic skin lesions of varicella were absent. varicella-zo ...	2010	19494359
divergence and genotyping of human alpha-herpesviruses: an overview.	herpesviruses are large dna viruses that are highly disseminated among animals. of the eight herpesviruses identified in humans, three are classified into the alpha-herpesvirus subfamily: herpes simplex virus types 1 (hsv-1) and 2 (hsv-2), which are typically associated with mucocutaneous lesions, and varicella-zoster virus (vzv), which is the cause of chicken pox and herpes zoster. all three viruses establish lifelong infections and may also induce more severe symptoms, such as neurological man ...	2010	19772930
modelling the impact of varicella vaccination on varicella and zoster.	it has been suggested that the incidence of herpes zoster may increase due to lack of natural boosting under large-scale vaccination with the varicella vaccine. to study the possibility and magnitude of such negative consequences of mass vaccination, we built a mathematical model of varicella and zoster epidemiology in the finnish population. the model was based on serological data on varicella infection, case-notification data on zoster, and new knowledge about close contacts relevant to transm ...	2010	19796447
intrathecal antibody production against epstein-barr and other neurotropic viruses in pediatric and adult onset multiple sclerosis.	epstein-barr virus (ebv) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (ms). recent reports proposed an increased ebv-targeted humoral immune response in ms, which appears to be more pronounced in pediatric patients. however, little is known about the cns-derived antibody production against ebv in patients with ms. the objective of this study was to assess the frequency and intensity of intrathecal antibody production against ebv as compared to other neurotropic viruses in pediat ...	2010	19714396
outcomes of kidney transplant tourism in children: a single center experience.	transplant tourism is a necessity for children with end-stage renal disease living in regions without established local transplantation programs. the use of kidneys from living unrelated donors (lurds) was common practice in asia prior to the recent global condemnation of commercial organ transplantation. objective information on the outcomes of pediatric transplant tourism is scarce. here, we report the dubai experience with 45 renal allograft transplantations performed outside the united arab ...	2010	19727837
insulin-degrading enzyme binds to the nonglycosylated precursor of varicella-zoster virus ge protein found in the endoplasmic reticulum.	insulin degradation enzyme (ide) is a 110-kda zinc metalloprotease found in the cytosol of all cells. ide degrades insulin and a variety of small proteins including amyloid-beta. recently, ide has been proposed as the receptor for varicella-zoster virus (vzv) attachment. during our reassessment, some of the original studies were repeated and expanded in scope. we first confirmed that ide antibody reduced vzv spread. for additional controls, we repeated the same experiments with herpes simplex vi ...	2010	19864391
herpes zoster of the nipple: rapid dna-based diagnosis by the loop-mediated isothermal amplification method.	a 28-year-old japanese man presented with grouped erosions and vesicles on an erythematous base affecting the right areola and the surrounding skin. a tzanck smear from the vesicle revealed giant cells. an initial clinical diagnosis of mammary herpes simplex was considered but to explore the differential diagnosis, viral dna was amplified by the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (lamp) method. dna replication was observed only in varicella zoster virus lamp mixture, and this confirmed a dia ...	2010	19884358
antibody to varicella-zoster virus immediate-early protein 62 augments allodynia in zoster via brain-derived neurotrophic factor.	varicella-zoster virus (vzv) expresses immediate-early protein 62 (ie62), and zoster is associated with neuropathic pain. brain-derived neurotrophic factor (bdnf) is involved in the neuronal mechanism underlying pain hypersensitivity. zoster is associated with prodrome and the robust production of booster antibody to vzv. we hypothesized that the intrathecal production of antibody to ie62 cross-reacting with bdnf and the nerve injury by skin lesions may augment allodynia in zoster by enhancing b ...	2010	19923188
risk factors of herpes zoster among children immunized with varicella vaccine: results from a nested case-control study.	previous studies of varicella-zoster virus reactivation in children have provided little information on potential risk factors. the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of race, chronic medical conditions and treatments, and recent vaccination, on the risk of herpes zoster (hz) in children vaccinated with one dose of varicella vaccine.	2010	19952977
report of varicella outbreak in a low vaccination coverage group of otherwise healthy children in italy: the role of breakthrough and the need of a second dose of vaccine.	we describe an outbreak of varicella at a preschool center in southern italy, in the period january-may 2009, among children with a vaccination coverage of 53.9% for one dose. the outbreak occurred in a small community in puglia and enrolled 41 children. the attack rates for unvaccinated and vaccinated children were 72.3% and 12.7%, respectively. the vaccine effectiveness against disease was 82.4%. our findings add a further piece of evidence in supporting the routine use of a second dose of vac ...	2010	19961965
detection of varicella-zoster virus dna in 414 human trigeminal ganglia from cadavers by the polymerase chain reaction: a comparison of the detection rate of varicella-zoster virus and herpes simplex virus type 1.	investigation of varicella-zoster virus (vzv) is important epidemiologically, and determination of its prevalence rate in human trigeminal ganglia is important to provide surveillance data. to date, studies on vzv detection in trigeminal ganglia have used specimens obtained from a relatively limited number of cadavers. this study attempted to detect vzv dna as well as herpes simplex virus type 1 (hsv-1) dna by the polymerase chain reaction (pcr) from 414 samples of trigeminal ganglia obtained fr ...	2010	20029810
fv-100: the most potent and selective anti-varicella zoster virus agent reported to date.	bicyclic aryl furano pyrimidines represent the most potent anti-varicella zoster virus (vzv) agents reported to date. lead compounds have 50% effective concentration (ec(50)) values in vitro that are in the subnanomolar range and selectivity index values that exceed 1 million. they have an absolute requirement for vzv thymidine kinase and most likely act as their phosphate forms. some structural modification (such as aryl substitution in the base moiety) is tolerated, whereas little sugar modifi ...	2010	20054098
impact of varicella vaccine on varicella-zoster virus dynamics.	the licensure and recommendation of varicella vaccine in the mid-1990s in the united states have led to dramatic declines in varicella incidence and varicella-related deaths and hospitalizations. varicella outbreaks remain common and occur increasingly in highly vaccinated populations. breakthrough varicella in vaccinated individuals is characteristically mild, typically with fewer lesions that frequently do not progress to a vesicular stage. as such, the laboratory diagnosis of varicella has gr ...	2010	20065330
myelin-associated glycoprotein mediates membrane fusion and entry of neurotropic herpesviruses.	varicella-zoster virus (vzv) and herpes simplex virus (hsv) are prevalent neurotropic herpesviruses that cause various nervous system diseases. similar to other enveloped viruses, membrane fusion is an essential process for viral entry. therefore, identification of host molecules that mediate membrane fusion is important to understand the mechanism of viral infection. here, we demonstrate that myelin-associated glycoprotein (mag), mainly distributed in neural tissues, associates with vzv glycopr ...	2010	20080767