Infections of the nervous system caused by varicella-zoster virus: a review

Intervirology
J M EchevarríaP Martínez-Martín

Abstract

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is a cause of neurologic disease among humans. Both primary infection and recurrence may lead to neurologic infection and disease. Neurologic syndromes associated with acute VZV infection are caused by abnormal immune responses, the most frequent manifestation being cerebellar ataxia. Those associated with recurrences are often due to the direct effect of viral replication in the nervous tissue. VZV reaches the nervous system either through the bloodstream or by direct spread from sensory ganglia where it remains latent. Postherpetic neuralgia, acute encephalitis, aseptic meningitis and myelitis are the most frequent diseases and have been recorded both in association with herpes zoster and in the absence of a cutaneous rash. Early diagnosis may be established by detecting virus-specific DNA sequences in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) after amplification by the polymerase chain reaction and then confirmed by detection of intrathecally produced, specific IgG antibody. Virus isolation from CSF and antibody testing in serum are unsuitable for diagnosis. Early acyclovir therapy is recommended in immuno-compromised patients and those with serious disease.

Citations

Mar 5, 2004·Medical Microbiology and Immunology·Stephan W AberleElisabeth Puchhammer-Stöckl
Nov 9, 2002·Journal of Clinical Virology : the Official Publication of the Pan American Society for Clinical Virology·Marjaleena KoskiniemiAntti Vaheri
Oct 6, 2000·Clinical Infectious Diseases : an Official Publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America·G A Storch
Dec 5, 2006·Clinical Infectious Diseases : an Official Publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America·Robert H DworkinRichard J Whitley
Aug 25, 2000·Academic Emergency Medicine : Official Journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine·S A McLaughlin, M S Buchsbaum
Oct 19, 2004·Clinical Microbiology Reviews·Roberta L Debiasi, Kenneth L Tyler
Jun 15, 2007·Journal of Clinical Microbiology·Elisabeth Franzen-RöhlElisabeth Aurelius
Nov 26, 2013·Medicina clínica·María Carmen Alarcón GarcelánPatricia Rodríguez Torres
Mar 20, 2010·Rinshō shinkeigaku = Clinical neurology·Megumi BesshoHaruko Kitaoka
Jul 28, 2010·Journal of Clinical Rheumatology : Practical Reports on Rheumatic & Musculoskeletal Diseases·Iana Souza NascimentoVilma Santos Trindade Viana
Aug 19, 2005·Expert Review of Anti-infective Therapy·Eric Denes, Sylvie Ranger-Rogez
Oct 8, 2015·The Journal of Emergency Medicine·Frank DickerIan C May
Feb 9, 2010·Enfermedades infecciosas y microbiología clínica·Montserrat Muñoz-SellartPedro Fernández-Viladrich
Dec 10, 2015·Neural Plasticity·Venkata Subba Rao AtluriMadhavan Nair
Jan 28, 2014·Journal of the Neurological Sciences·Inés González-SuárezExuperio Diez-Tejedor
Feb 19, 2015·BMJ Case Reports·Anawin SanguankeoNatanong Thamcharoen
Nov 25, 2003·The Annals of Pharmacotherapy·Jacqueline L Olin, Joseph L Gugliotta
Jan 11, 2012·Revista Da Sociedade Brasileira De Medicina Tropical·Marcelo CortiLilia Mamanna
Apr 1, 2006·The Annals of Otology, Rhinology, and Laryngology·Fumio OhtaniSatoshi Fukuda
Aug 28, 2004·Journal of Medical Virology·Hiroshi AizawaSatoshi Fukuda
Feb 27, 2019·Otology & Neurotology : Official Publication of the American Otological Society, American Neurotology Society [and] European Academy of Otology and Neurotology·Ryohei OyaHidenori Inohara
Jul 4, 2012·Kansenshōgaku zasshi. The Journal of the Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases·Hiroyuki YamashitaMimori Akio
Jul 13, 2007·Clinical and Vaccine Immunology : CVI·Marjaleena KoskiniemiVladimir N Loparev
May 15, 2019·Otology & Neurotology : Official Publication of the American Otological Society, American Neurotology Society [and] European Academy of Otology and Neurotology·Ryohei OyaHidenori Inohara
Jun 21, 2016·Journal of Pediatric Hematology/oncology·Kristina AdachiJaime G Deville
Jul 11, 2008·Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases·Elisabeth Franzen-RohlMartin Glimåker
Oct 20, 2020·Frontiers in Immunology·Alexander OschwaldDaniel Erny

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Ataxia telangiectasia (MDS)

Ataxia telangiectasia is a rare neurodegenerative diseases caused by defects in the ATM gene, which is involved in DNA damage recognition and repair pathways. Here is the latest research on this autosomal recessive disease.

Ataxias

Ataxia is a neurological condition characterized by lack of voluntary coordination of muscle movements including loss of coordination, balance, and speech. Discover the latest research on different types of ataxias here.

Acute Hemorrhagic Leukoencephalitis

Acute hemorrhagic leukoencephalitis is a rare form of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis characterized by acute inflammation in the brain and spinal cord that causes demyelination and bleeding. It is often fatal, although treatment with immunosuppressives and plasma exchange can be helpful. Find the latest research on acute hemorrhagic leukoencephalitis here.