title: Detection of varicella-zoster virus DNA in the oropharynx and blood of patients with varicella.
abstract: The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect varicella-zoster virus (VZV) DNA in respiratory epithelial cells and in peripheral blood leukocytes from adults with varicella. VZV DNA was detected in oropharyngeal epithelium in 62% of patients early in the course of varicella; the amount of VZV DNA declined with time and was detectable in only 22% of patients for greater than 6 days. VZV DNA was also detected in peripheral blood leukocytes in 74% of patients early in disease and was detected in both polymorphonuclear and mononuclear leukocytes. PCR demonstrated the presence of VZV DNA in the oropharynx and blood of most patients during varicella, in contrast to the ability to detect VZV in these tissues by viral culture.
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093-0672.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Sawyer
authors.forename: Y N
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Chamberlin
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Burgos
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Brodine
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Bowler
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: LaRocco
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Oldfield
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Wallace
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001086:Arabinofuranosyluracil / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001483:Base Sequence; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002644:Chickenpox / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009960:Oropharynx / Q000382:microbiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral; D001086:Arabinofuranosyluracil; C031368:sorivudine