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Br J Dermatol 2022 May 16. Epub 2022 May 16.

Department of Dermatology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.

Pan Afr Med J 2022 3;41:171. Epub 2022 Mar 3.

Service d'Otorhinolaryngologie et de Chirurgie Cervico-Faciale de l'Hôpital Militaire d'Instruction Mohamed V de Rabat, Faculté de Médecine et Pharmacie Rabat, Université Mohamed V Rabat, Rabat, Maroc.

Ear shingles, also called herpes zoster oticus, are a viral infection of the outer, middle and/or inner ear due to varicella zoster virus (VZV). Patients with ear involvement associated with facial palsy are clinically diagnosed with Ramsay-Hunt´s syndrome. We here report the case of a 25-year-old patient with herpes zoster oticus associated with peripheral facial palsy, without other associated signs. Read More

Front Microbiol 2022 27;13:897752. Epub 2022 Apr 27.

School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV), a highly infectious agent that causes varicella (chickenpox), can also cause zoster (shingles), a disorder that is frequently associated with severe neuralgia. A reliable serological VZV diagnostic assay would be useful for identifying unprotected individuals and for surveilling post-vaccination immunoprotection status. Toward this goal, VZV membrane glycoprotein E (gE), the immunodominant VZV protein, served as target antigen in an indirect ELISA kit developed here to detect anti-VZV antibodies in clinical samples. Read More

Curr Med Imaging 2022 May 13. Epub 2022 May 13.

Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Bezmialem Vakif University, Istanbul, Turkey.

Background: Varicella zoster virus [VZV] is a latent virus that can remain in the central nervous system. Reactivation of the virus can cause some neurologic manifestations, and myelitis is one of the rarest of them. In this report, we aimed to present the MRI features of long-segment cervical myelitis after VZV infection, which is rarely reported in the literature. Read More

Neurol Res Pract 2022 May 16;4(1):18. Epub 2022 May 16.

German Society of Neurology, Berlin, Germany.

Background And Purpose: Optimal treatment of intracranial stenoses in varicella zoster virus (VZV)-associated vasculitis is unknown. This study aims to evaluate the merits and potential pitfalls of a specific therapeutic strategy, initially proposed by Don Gilden in 2015.

Methods: We describe three patients with intracranial stenoses caused by VZV vasculitis successfully treated by a long-term combination of valacyclovir and prednisolone. Read More

J Mol Diagn 2022 May 22;24(5):476-484. Epub 2022 Feb 22.

Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, Washington; Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington. Electronic address:

Sequencing of plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is a promising milieu for broad-based cancer and infectious disease diagnostics. The performance of cfDNA sequencing for infectious disease diagnostics is chiefly limited by inadequate analytical sensitivity. The current study investigated whether the analytical sensitivity of cfDNA sequencing for viral diagnostics could be improved by selective sequencing of short cfDNA fragments, given prior observations of shorter fragment size distribution in microbial and cytomegalovirus-derived cfDNA compared with human-derived cfDNA. Read More

AMB Express 2022 May 14;12(1):58. Epub 2022 May 14.

Institute of Microbial Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, China.

Herpes zoster is caused by reactivation of the varicella zoster virus (VZV). Researching and developing a herpes zoster vaccine will help to decrease the incidence of herpes zoster. To increase the bioreactor productivity, a serum-free HEK293 cell perfusion process with adenovirus vector herpes zoster (rAd-HZ) vaccine production was developed efficiently using the design of experiment (DoE) method. Read More

Front Med (Lausanne) 2022 26;9:850762. Epub 2022 Apr 26.

NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Jiangsu Province Key laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China.

Purpose: Herpes zoster infection, with its considerable burden to individuals and society, remains a challenge around the world. However, to the knowledge of the authors, little bibliometric quantitative or qualitative analysis has been carried out to evaluate herpes zoster research. This study aimed to use a bibliometric analysis to evaluate current publication trends and hotspots on herpes zoster research worldwide, in order to advance research in this field. Read More

J Child Neurol 2022 May 12:8830738221093209. Epub 2022 May 12.

Department of Infectious Diseases & Microbiology, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia.

Introduction: Postinfectious acute cerebellar syndromes show a wide spectrum of acute severity and can occur with acute febrile illness or vaccine receipt. Varicella has historically been the most common cause, associated with up to 25% of cases in large cohorts. This study aimed to describe the spectrum of syndromes in a setting with high varicella vaccine coverage. Read More

Einstein (Sao Paulo) 2022 6;20:eAO6360. Epub 2022 May 6.

Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.

Objective: To analyze data from children who were previously healthy and presented with post-varicella arterial ischemic stroke upon arrival when admitted to the emergency room, with focus on the clinical/laboratory aspects, and neurocognitive performance after four-year follow-up.

Methods: Seven children presenting with arterial ischemic stroke after varicella were evaluated at pediatric emergency services in the city of São Paulo (SP), Brazil. Ischemic stroke was determined by magnetic resonance imaging/magnetic resonance angiography in a topography compatible with the areas supplied by the middle cerebral or internal carotid arteries. Read More

Diabetologia 2022 May 11. Epub 2022 May 11.

Institute of Medical Information Sciences, Biometry and Epidemiology, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, Germany.

Aims/hypothesis: The prevalence of type 2 diabetes is increasing worldwide, and previous studies have suggested that it is higher in individuals who are seropositive for herpesviruses. This study examines the prospective association of herpesviruses with (pre)diabetes to evaluate their potential role in diabetes aetiology.

Methods: Two follow-up examinations of the German population-based KORA cohort (F4 and FF4) were used to identify participants with normal glucose tolerance at baseline, thus being at risk for (pre)diabetes (n = 1257). Read More

Front Med (Lausanne) 2022 20;9:847219. Epub 2022 Apr 20.

Department of Neurology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.

Background: Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV) is a human pathogen from the α-subfamily of herpesviruses. In immunocompromised patients, VZV may produce disease of the central nervous system (CNS). Clinical manifestations of CNS infection with VZV are non-specific and can mimic other infectious and non-infectious diseases. Read More

Neural Plast 2022 27;2022:7055697. Epub 2022 Apr 27.

Department of Pain Management, The State Key Clinical Specialty in Pain Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.

Background: Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is the most common and severe complication after varicella-zoster infection, especially in elderly patients. PHN is always refractory to treatment. Both pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) and short-term spinal cord stimulation (stSCS) have been used as effective analgesia methods in clinic. Read More

Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2022 Apr 26;613:41-46. Epub 2022 Apr 26.

Department of Immunochemistry, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0081, Japan; WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0081, Japan; Center for Infectious Disease Education and Research, Osaka University, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan. Electronic address:

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) first infects hematopoietic cells, with the infected cells then acting to distribute the virus throughout the body. Sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-like lectin (Siglec) family molecules recognize sialic acid-containing molecules on the same cell surface, called cis-ligands, or molecules on other cells or soluble agents, called trans-ligands. Among the Siglec family molecules, Siglec-4 and Siglec-7 mediate VZV infection through association with glycoprotein B (gB). Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2022 05 6;15(5). Epub 2022 May 6.

Internal Medicine Department, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas, USA.

Respirol Case Rep 2022 Jun 3;10(6):e0953. Epub 2022 May 3.

Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Weihai Municipal Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine Shandong University Weihai China.

Pulmonary co-infection with varicella-zoster virus (VZV) and (PJ) is uncommon. This case describes computed tomography findings of VZV pneumonia co-infected with PJ. Read More

Cureus 2022 Apr 1;14(4):e23732. Epub 2022 Apr 1.

Department of Clinical Sciences, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Monterrey, MEX.

Varicella-zoster virus is a pathogenic virus that can present itself as a primary infection or secondary infection, also known as herpes zoster. Recently, there has been a re-emergence of this vaccine-preventable disease due to gaps in vaccination. Primary varicella in immunocompetent adults is highly uncommon, and it could result in severe complications within this population. Read More

Int J Dermatol 2022 May 3. Epub 2022 May 3.

Department of Medicine, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawai'i, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.

Background: Although there is literature reporting correlations between varicella zoster virus (VZV) infections and COVID-19, insufficient evidence exists in this regard. This scoping review aims to identify the existing evidence regarding clinical characteristics of primary VZV infection or reactivation in COVID-19.

Methods: Following the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews, MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched for all peer-reviewed articles with relevant keywords including "Zoster," "Herpes," and "COVID-19" from their inception to November 20, 2021. Read More

Am J Dance Ther 2022 Apr 27:1-28. Epub 2022 Apr 27.

Embodied Education Institute of Chicago, Chicago, USA.

Where does the seed of recovery from trauma, from illness, from injury find ground, sink roots, and start to grow? Can one find empowerment in a body, subjected to illness, trauma and disability? In this autobiographical article, the authors takes us on a journey into illness, where despair threatens her very will to live. In fact, she becomes to herself something foreign, grotesque, and completely other. And yet, hope sprouts. Read More

Dermatol Ther (Heidelb) 2022 May 2;12(5):1239-1252. Epub 2022 May 2.

NPO Health Institute Research of Skin, 2nd Floor, Fukuda Building 1-8-9 Kanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 101-0047, Japan.

Introduction: Amenamevir is a new anti-varicella-zoster virus drug that inhibits the helicase-primase complex involved in viral replication. Amenamevir has the same effect as valaciclovir on acute pain and skin eruption, but no studies have examined the presence of long-term zoster-associated pain (ZAP) or postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) after amenamevir treatment.

Methods: A total of 785 herpes zoster patients treated with amenamevir were followed up for 12 months. Read More

Neurol Sci 2022 May 1. Epub 2022 May 1.

Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD, USA.

J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis 2022 Apr 29;31(7):106509. Epub 2022 Apr 29.

Department of Health and Environmental Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan. Electronic address:

Objectives: Although the association between genetic factors, such as RNF213 mutations, and moyamoya disease (MMD) has been well investigated, environmental factors are largely undetermined. Thus, we aimed to examine whether viral infection increases the risk of MMD.

Materials And Methods: To eliminate the effect of presence or absence of the RNF213 p. Read More

JAAD Case Rep 2022 May 1;23:133-135. Epub 2022 Apr 1.

Dermatology, Laser and Vein Specialists of the Carolinas, Charlotte, North Carolina.

J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2022 May 1. Epub 2022 May 1.

Department of Dermatology and Allergy, University Hospital, Ludwig Maximillian University, Munich, Germany.

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is associated with an increased risk for viral infections including those caused by herpes simplex virus and varicella zoster virus.

Objectives: This study examined treatment-emergent (TE) herpes simplex infection including eczema herpeticum (EH), and herpes zoster (HZ), in adult patients with AD receiving ≥1 dose of baricitinib (BARI), an oral selective inhibitor of Janus kinase 1/2.

Methods: We evaluated data from six double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled (PC) trials and two long-term extension studies, within three analysis sets: PC, 2-4-mg BARI extended and All-BARI-AD. Read More

J Neurol Sci 2022 Apr 16;437:120262. Epub 2022 Apr 16.

Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America; Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America. Electronic address:

Objective: To investigate the clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics of patients with varicella zoster virus (VZV) reactivation involving the cranial nerves and central nervous system (CNS).

Methods: This is a retrospective, multi-center case-series of 37 patients with VZV infection affecting the cranial nerves and CNS.

Results: The median age was 71 years [IQR 51. Read More

IDCases 2022 9;28:e01502. Epub 2022 Apr 9.

Division of Dermatology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA.

Atypical morphologic and anatomic presentations of herpetic infection can be a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. Although herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infections primarily occur in the oral or anogenital region, our patient presented with ulcerated vegetative plaques on the shoulder sharing clinical features with nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC). Depending on the clinical appearance and anatomical site, proper workup including biopsy can be pivotal to arrive at a correct diagnosis as lesions can mimic a broad spectrum of cutaneous diseases, particularly if the lesion occurs in an atypical location. Read More

Hautarzt 2022 Apr 27. Epub 2022 Apr 27.

Klinik für Dermatologie, Venerologie und Allergologie, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Deutschland.

Background: Herpes zoster (HZ) is a common skin disease resulting from a regionally limited reactivation of a latent infection with the varicella zoster virus (VZV). Despite its usually self-limiting course, HZ is associated with a considerable individual and public health burden of disease, particularly due to its high rate of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN).

Objectives: To improve knowledge of the current recommendations for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Read More

Elife 2022 Apr 27;11. Epub 2022 Apr 27.

Institue of Virology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.

Host proteins sense viral products and induce defence mechanisms, particularly in immune cells. Using cell-free assays and quantitative mass spectrometry, we determined the interactome of capsid-host protein complexes of herpes simplex virus and identified the large dynamin-like GTPase myxovirus resistance protein B (MxB) as an interferon-inducible protein interacting with capsids. Electron microscopy analyses showed that cytosols containing MxB had the remarkable capability to disassemble the icosahedral capsids of herpes simplex viruses and varicella zoster virus into flat sheets of connected triangular faces. Read More

Rinsho Shinkeigaku 2022 Apr 26. Epub 2022 Apr 26.

Department of Neurology, The Jikei University School of Medicine.

A 73-year-old man developed delayed-onset multiple cranial neuropathies of cranial nerves V, VII and VIII, and segmental paresis in the ipsilateral upper extremity related to the C4 to Th1 segment, after all skin lesions with varicella zoster (VZV) on the left neck of the C3-4 dermatome had dried and crusted over. On admission, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) revealed pleocytosis (all mononuclear cells, 12/μl). Treatment was started with intravenous acyclovir (10 mg/kg, every 8 h for 14 days) and methylprednisolone (1,000 mg/day for 3 days). Read More

J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2022 Apr 26. Epub 2022 Apr 26.

Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany.

Background: Reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), which causes herpes zoster (HZ, synonym: shingles) in humans, can be a rare adverse reaction to vaccines. Recently, reports of cases after COVID-19 vaccination have arisen.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess whether the frequency of HZ is found to increase after COVID-19 vaccination in a large cohort, based on real-world data. Read More