title: Detection of varicella-zoster virus DNA in human geniculate ganglia by polymerase chain reaction.
abstract: Latent varicella-zoster virus (VZV) has been demonstrated in the human trigeminal and thoracic ganglia by means of nucleic acid hybridization. However, the human geniculate ganglia in VZV latency have not been examined. Tissue DNA extracted from the trigeminal and geniculate ganglia of a newborn and 7 adults was examined by polymerase chain reaction with a pair of VZV-specific primers. None had symptoms of recent infection with VZV (chickenpox or shingles). VZV DNA was detected in 11 (79%) of 14 trigeminal ganglia and in 9 (69%) of 13 geniculate ganglia of the adults. VZV DNA was not detected in either type of ganglion from the newborn or from 1 adult who was seronegative for VZV antibodies. These findings indicate that VZV becomes latent in human geniculate ganglia after primary infection and suggest the possibility that reactivation of the virus from the geniculate ganglia may cause Ramsay Hunt syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Hokkadio University, School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Furuta
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takasu
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fukuda
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Sato-Matsumura
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Inuyama
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hondo
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nagashima
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D001344:Autopsy; D001483:Base Sequence; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005830:Geniculate Ganglion / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D014404:Tubulin / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D014404:Tubulin