title: Varicella-zoster virus DNA in cells isolated from human trigeminal ganglia.
abstract: To determine the type of cell(s) that contain latent varicella-zoster virus (VZV) DNA, we prepared pure populations of neurons and satellite cells from trigeminal ganglia of 18 humans who had previously had a VZV infection. VZV DNA was present in 34 of 2,226 neurons (1.5%) and in none of 20,700 satellite cells. There was an average of 4.7 (range of 2 to 9) copies of VZV DNA per latently infected neuron. Latent VZV DNA was primarily present in large neurons, whereas the size distribution of herpes simplex virus DNA was markedly different.
authors.affiliation: Section of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado 80262, USA. myron.levin@uchsc.edu
authors.forename: Myron J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Levin
authors.forename: Guang-Yun
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Manchak
authors.forename: Lewis I
authors.initials: LI
authors.lastname: Pizer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000821:virology; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009474:Neurons / Q000821:virology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012668:Trigeminal Ganglion / Q000166:cytology / Q000821:virology*; D017735:Virus Latency
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral