title: Varicella-zoster virus in the saliva of patients with herpes zoster.
abstract: Fifty-four patients with herpes zoster were treated with valacyclovir. On treatment days 1, 8, and 15, pain was scored and saliva examined for varicella-zoster virus (VZV) DNA. VZV DNA was found in every patient the day treatment was started and later disappeared in 82%. There was a positive correlation between the presence of VZV DNA and pain and between VZV DNA copy number and pain (P <.0005). VZV DNA was present in 1 patient before rash and in 4 after pain resolved and was not present in any of 6 subjects with chronic pain or in 14 healthy subjects. Analysis of human saliva has potential usefulness in the diagnosis of neurological disease produced by VZV without rash.
authors.affiliation: Enterprise Advisory Services, Inc., USA.
authors.forename: Satish K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Mehta
authors.forename: Stephen K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Tyring
authors.forename: Donald H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Gilden
authors.forename: Randall J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Cohrs
authors.forename: Melanie J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Leal
authors.forename: Victoria A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.forename: Alan H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Feiveson
authors.forename: C Mark
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Ott
authors.forename: Duane L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Pierson
mesh_terms: D000212:Acyclovir / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015415:Biomarkers; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000821:virology*; D012463:Saliva / Q000821:virology*; D000077483:Valacyclovir; D014633:Valine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D031368:Zoster Sine Herpete / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D004279:DNA, Viral; D014633:Valine; D000077483:Valacyclovir; D000212:Acyclovir