Ocular varicella-zoster virus infection in the guinea pig. A new in vivo model.
Corneal intrastromal inoculation of guinea pigs with approximately 10(4) plaque-forming units of live, adapted varicella-zoster virus (VZV) resulted in reproducible, acute, superficial corneal disease in all animals. The culture-positive VZV ocular infection progressed to involve 30% to 40% of the corneal surface in a diffuse punctate keratitis and 10% to 15% of this surface with microdendrites, characteristic of VZV-induced ocular disease. Retrograde dissemination of VZV to the trigeminal ganglia, midbrain, cerebellum, and superior cervical ganglia was demonstrated by whole-cell coculture VZV recovery. Central nervous system VZV dissemination, manifested by transient neurologic symptoms and pneumonitis, was evident in 60% of the animals. Varicella-zoster virus spread to the trigeminal ganglion during acute and early-latent infection was evident by electron microscopy.
Pavan-Langston
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Eye Research Institute of Retina Foundation, Boston, MA 02114.
Dunkel
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D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003315:Cornea / Q000382:microbiology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006563:Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung; D012668:Trigeminal Ganglion / Q000382:microbiology