Varicella and herpes zoster: a perspective and overview.
The events leading to the isolation of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) are described beginning with the pioneering contributions of Ernest Tyzzer and Ernest Goodpasture and the early epidemiologic observations that indicated a relationship between varicella and zoster. Isolation, propagation, and immunologic proof of the coidentity of the viruses from the two clinical entities evolved from the introduction of human cell culture systems, a development that revolutionized virus research. Now the social significance of VZV is increasing. This reflects an aging population, increasing use of immunosuppressive therapeutic procedures, and the advent of a biologic immunosuppressive agent, the virus that causes AIDS. Currently there are unsolved problems: For unknown reasons varicella is often an adult disease in the tropics, and cell cultures fail to demonstrate VZV in throat washings from cases. These peculiarities warrant elucidation.
Weller
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Department of Tropical Public Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts.
D000375:Aging; D002644:Chickenpox / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000266:history / Q000382:microbiology; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000266:history / Q000382:microbiology; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology