title: Polymerase chain reaction detection and clinical significance of varicella-zoster virus in cerebrospinal fluid from human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients.
abstract: Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) causes ocular and other central nervous system (CNS) disease in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected persons. To study the prevalence of CNS disease due to VZV, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens from 84 consecutive HIV-infected patients with new neurologic symptoms were tested for VZV DNA by a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. Six patients were PCR-positive for VZV in CSF; 3 additional patients were subsequently identified who were not part of the serial population sample. Among these 9 patients, all had clinical presentations consistent with ocular and other CNS disease due to VZV; 4 were without zoster on presentation. Sustained improvement in association with antiviral therapy was observed in 3. Therefore, VZV DNA was detected in the CSF of 7% of HIV-infected patients presenting with neurologic symptoms; the diagnosis of VZV-related CNS disease was facilitated by this assay; improvement in association with antiviral therapy was observed in some patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University Hospitals of Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Burke
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Kalayjian
authors.forename: V R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Vann
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Madreperla
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Shick
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Leonard
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000150:complications*; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral