Recurrence of Varicella-zoster virus infection

A case of Varicella-zoster virus re-infection in a 3.5-year child with the acute lymphoblastic leukemia is presented. This report aims at emphasizing a possibility of re-activation of the virus in younger and younger children with immunodeficiency. A clinical course may imitate chicken-pox creating diagnostic problems.     

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV)

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) causes varicella in primary infection and zoster after reactivation from latency. Both herpes simplex virus (HSV) and VZV are classified into the same alpha-herpesvirus subfamily. Although most VZV genes have their HSV homologs, VZV has many unique biological characteristics. In this review, we summarized recent studies on 1) animal models for VZV infection and outcomes from studies using the models, including 2) viral dissemination processes from respiratory mucosa, T cells, to skin, 3) cellular receptors for VZV entry, 4) functions of viral genes required uniquely for in vivo growth and for establishment of latency, 5) host immune responses and viral immune evasion mechanisms, and 6) varicella vaccine and anti-VZV drugs.     

Varicella-zoster virus: molecular virology and virus-host interactions

Cosmid-based mutagenesis and methods to examine varicella-zoster virus (VZV) tropism for differentiated human cells in vivo provide new information about molecular mechanisms of VZV infection. How specific VZV gene products contribute to viral replication has been further defined, and effects of VZV on expression of cellular genes have been demonstrated.     

Varicella-zoster virus prevalence in Japan: no significant change in a decade

A seroepidemiologic time-comparison study was conducted to evaluate changes in IgG antibody to varicella-zoster virus (VZV) and to determine VZV prevalence in Japan with randomly collected serum samples from two healthy Japanese populations: 1973 (n = 670) vs. 1984 (n = 677). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was found to be superior to the immune adherence hemagglutination test (IAHA) especially for detecting seropositivity in adults. Serologic results showed essentially no significant difference between the 1973 and the 1984 age-specific prevalences; with the exception of a slightly lower prevalence in the 5-year-old age group in 1973 than that in 1984. In general, the age-specific prevalence was lowest in the 1-year-old group (mean 11%) and increased in a linear fashion until age 9 (mean 82.9%); prevalence continued to increase slowly after age 9 and plateaued at 100% for ages greater than or equal to 25-29.     

A case report of spontaneous staphylococcal meningitis in a cynomolgus monkey

This report describes a suppurative meningitis in a young cynomolgus. The animal had neutrophil aggregation in the subarachnoid space and hemorrhage in bilateral adrenal glands. Staphylococcus was identified by FISH in brain. To our knowledge, this is the first case of staphylococcal meningitis with Waterhouse‐Friderichsen syndrome in a cynomolgus monkey.     

系统性红斑狼疮并发隐球菌性脑膜炎:1例报告并文献复习

目的探讨系统性红斑狼疮(SLE)合并隐球菌性脑膜炎的诊断及鉴别诊断。方法对1例SLE并发隐球菌性脑膜炎患者的临床及实验室检查特点进行分析,并结合文献复习进行讨论。结果患者出现中枢感染前长期使用泼尼松治疗,曾误诊为狼疮脑病应用激素冲击治疗无效;治疗过程中出现狼疮活动,激素加量后症状缓解。结论 SLE并发隐球菌性脑膜炎患者的临床表现缺乏特异性,感染相关症状与SLE表现部分重叠,腰穿脑脊液墨汁染色找隐球菌和隐球菌抗原乳胶凝集试验是诊断的主要手段。及时诊断和有效抗真菌治疗可改善患者的预后。     

Varicella-zoster virus vaccine DNA differs from the parental virus DNA.

The DNAs of a varicella-zoster virus vaccine and its parental virus were compared by CsCl buoyant density centrifugation and restriction enzyme cleavage analysis. The varicella-zoster virus vaccine DNA showed a heterogeneous buoyant profile and altered restriction enzyme cleavage patterns. These changed properties are probably the result of the accumulation of virus containing defective varicella-zoster virus DNA during extensive cell culture passage of the vaccine virus.     

Varicella-zoster virus complements herpes simplex virus type 1 temperature-sensitive mutants.

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) can complement temperature-sensitive mutants of herpes simplex virus. Of seven mutants tested, two, carrying mutations in the immediate-early ICP4 and ICP27 proteins, were complemented. This complementation was not seen in coinfections with adenovirus type 5 or cytomegalovirus. Following transfection into CV-1 cells, a DNA fragment containing the VZV short repeat sequence complemented the ICP4 mutant. These data demonstrate a functional relationship between VZV and herpes simplex virus and have allowed localization of a putative VZV immediate-early gene.     

Varicella-zoster virus gene 51 complements a herpes simplex virus type 1 UL9 null mutant.

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) gene 51 encodes a protein which is homologous to UL9, the origin of DNA replication-binding protein of herpes simplex virus type 1. No genetic information is available on VZV gene 51, but its product has been shown to bind to virtually the same recognition sequence as does UL9 (D. Chen and P. D. Olivo, J. Virol. 68:3841-3849, 1994; N. D. Stow, H. M. Weir, and E. C. Stow, Virology 177:570-577, 1990). We report here that gene 51 can complement a UL9 null mutant (hr94) (A. K. Malik, R. Martinez, L. Muncy, E. P. Carmichael, and S. K. Weller, Virology 190:702-715, 1992), but at a level which is only 20% of that of UL9. Quantitation of viral DNA synthesis suggests that this phenotype is due to a defect in viral DNA synthesis. Regardless, the ability of VZV gene 51 to complement UL9 suggests that alphaherpesviruses have a highly conserved mechanism of initiation of viral DNA synthesis.     

骨髓中检出组织胞浆菌1例

组织胞浆菌（Histoplasma capsulatum）是一种深部真菌,可引起人体深部组织胞浆菌病。最近我们从1例患者骨髓涂片瑞氏染色、PAS染色、骨髓病理活检中检出组织胞浆菌,现予报道。