Cytologic examination and viral and bacterial culture in herpes simplex, herpes zoster, and varicella.
Cytologic examination of epithelial cells from the base of vesicles, virus isolation, and bacterial culture were carried out in thirty-one patients with herpes simplex, in eleven patients with herpes zoster, and in three patients with varicella. Determination of herpes simplex complement fixation reaction was made in the patients with herpes simplex. Cytologic manifestations consistent with herpes were found 65 percent of patients with herpes simplex, while herpesvirus hominis was isolated in 77 percent of these patients. Diagnostic cytologic manifestations were found in 82 percent of the patients with herpes zoster or varicella. Varicella-zoster virus was isolated in 27 percent of these patients. The presence of pathogenic bacteria did not seem to influence the frequency of virus isolation or finding of characteristic cytologic features.
D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002644:Chickenpox / Q000382:microbiology; D004817:Epidermis / Q000473:pathology*; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000382:microbiology; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000382:microbiology; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology