title: Detection of varicella-zoster virus DNA in 414 human trigeminal ganglia from cadavers by the polymerase chain reaction: a comparison of the detection rate of varicella-zoster virus and herpes simplex virus type 1.
abstract: Investigation of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is important epidemiologically, and determination of its prevalence rate in human trigeminal ganglia is important to provide surveillance data. To date, studies on VZV detection in trigeminal ganglia have used specimens obtained from a relatively limited number of cadavers. This study attempted to detect VZV DNA as well as Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) DNA by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from 414 samples of trigeminal ganglia obtained from 207 cadavers selected at random. The detection rate was examined to determine whether there were significant differences in the positive rate between the left and right trigeminal ganglia, males and females, and among age groups. A relationship was found between the positive rates for VZV and HSV-1. VZV DNA was detected in 391 of the trigeminal ganglia (94.4%) and 201 of the cadavers (97.1%) in 121/124 males and 80/83 females. HSV-1 DNA was detected in 251 of the samples (60.6%) and 134 of the cadavers (64.7%) in 72/124 males and 62/83 females. There was no significant difference for either virus in the detection rates between the left and right trigeminal ganglia and males and females. Age and positivity for HSV-1, but not VZV, showed a significant relationship. All 134 cadavers positive for HSV-1 were also positive for VZV. VZV and HSV-1 become latent in bilateral trigeminal ganglia, and are not affected by gender. The prevalence of HSV-1 was greater in advanced age, and the HSV-1-positive rate was correlated with the VZV-positive rate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan. inoue@restaff.chiba-u.jp
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Hisako
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Motani-Saitoh
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sakurada
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ikegaya
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yajima
authors.forename: Mutsumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hayakawa
authors.forename: Yayoi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Katsura
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Otsuka
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Sayaka
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nagasawa
authors.forename: Hirotaro
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Iwase
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002102:Cadaver; D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D044707:Forensic Sciences / Q000379:methods*; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D015995:Prevalence; D012668:Trigeminal Ganglion / Q000821:virology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral