Simian varicella virus infects ganglia before rash in experimentally infected monkeys.
Monkeys experimentally infected with simian varicella virus (SVV) develop rash 10-14 days later. However, the route and the time of ganglionic infection are unknown. Using PCR, we analyzed DNA extracted from tissues of 13 monkeys 5 to 60 days after either intratracheal or intravenous inoculation with SVV. SVV DNA was detected in ganglia from four of five monkeys sacrificed 6 to 7 days after intratracheal inoculation. Further, analysis of ganglia from monkeys sacrificed at 10 days revealed that intravenous inoculation produced a higher proportion of SVV DNA-positive ganglia (63%) than that after intratracheal inoculation (13%), pointing to the role of hematogenous spread in ganglionic infection. Like other organs, monkey ganglia become infected with SVV before the appearance of rash.
Mahalingam
R
R
Department of Neurology, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, Colorado, 80262, USA. ravi.mahalingam@UCHSC.edu
Wellish
M
M
Soike
K
K
White
T
T
Kleinschmidt-DeMasters
B K
BK
Gilden
D H
DH
D000818:Animals; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005076:Exanthema / Q000821:virology*; D005724:Ganglia / Q000821:virology*; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018140:Varicellovirus / Q000502:physiology*
D004279:DNA, Viral