title: Varicella-zoster virus-specific cell-mediated immunity in subjects with herpes zoster.
abstract: Though cell-mediated immunity (CMI) against varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is critical for prevention of the onset of herpes zoster (HZ), clinicians currently lack a simplified procedure to monitor CMI. We have recently developed an assay, called the IFN-γ release assay, and showed that it is a simple and reliable method to determine VZV-specific CMI. In the present study, we applied an IR assay to measure the VZV-specific CMI of patients with HZ. VZV-specific CMI levels were significantly high at the onset of the disease, but were decreased several weeks later. In contrast, CMI VZV-specific antibody titers increased in convalescent phase compared to those in acute phase. Thus, this technology is likely to be very useful in monitoring ongoing VZV-specific immune status.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Japan.
authors.forename: Naruhito
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Otani
authors.forename: Kiyofumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamanishi
authors.forename: Yoshiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sakaguchi
authors.forename: Yasutomo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Imai
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shima
authors.forename: Toshiomi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okuno
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000276:immunology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007371:Interferon-gamma