title: Varicella zoster virus infection: clinical features, molecular pathogenesis of disease, and latency.
abstract: Varicella zoster virus (VZV) is an exclusively human neurotropic alphaherpesvirus. Primary infection causes varicella (chickenpox), after which virus becomes latent in cranial nerve ganglia, dorsal root ganglia, and autonomic ganglia along the entire neuraxis. Years later, in association with a decline in cell-mediated immunity in elderly and immunocompromised individuals, VZV reactivates and causes a wide range of neurologic disease. This article discusses the clinical manifestations, treatment, and prevention of VZV infection and reactivation; pathogenesis of VZV infection; and current research focusing on VZV latency, reactivation, and animal models.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, 4200 East 9th Avenue, Mail Stop B182, Denver, CO 80262, USA.
authors.forename: Niklaus H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Mueller
authors.forename: Donald H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Gilden
authors.forename: Randall J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Cohrs
authors.forename: Ravi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mahalingam
authors.forename: Maria A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Nagel
mesh_terms: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002644:Chickenpox / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D005724:Ganglia / Q000821:virology; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D053061:Herpes Zoster Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D051474:Neuralgia, Postherpetic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology; D015882:Retinal Necrosis Syndrome, Acute / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D013997:Time Factors; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D053061:Herpes Zoster Vaccine