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Varicella zoster virus (VZV), also known as human herpesvirus 3 or Human alphaherpesvirus 3 (taxonomically), is one of nine known herpes viruses that can infect humans. It causes chickenpox (varicella) commonly affecting children and young adults, and shingles in adults but rarely in children. VZV infections are species-specific to humans. The virus can survive in external environments for a few hours.
Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, is a viral disease characterized by a painful skin rash with blisters in a localized area. Typically the rash occurs in a single, wide mark either on the left or right side of the body or face. Two to four days before the rash occurs there may be tingling or local pain in the area. Other common symptoms are fever, headache, and tiredness. The rash usually heals within two to four weeks; however, some people develop ongoing nerve pain which can last for months or years, a condition called postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). In those with poor immune function the rash may occur widely. If the rash involves the eye, vision loss may occur.
Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is neuropathic pain that occurs due to damage to a peripheral nerve caused by the reactivation of the varicella zoster virus. PHN is defined as pain in a dermatomal distribution that lasts for at least 90 days after an outbreak of herpes zoster. Several types of pain may occur with PHN including continuous burning pain, episodes of severe shooting or electric-like pain, and a heightened sensitivity to gentle touch which would not otherwise cause pain or to painful stimuli. Abnormal sensations and itching may also occur.
Valaciclovir, also spelled valacyclovir, is an antiviral medication used to treat outbreaks of herpes simplex or herpes zoster (shingles). It is also used to prevent cytomegalovirus following a kidney transplant in high risk cases. It is taken by mouth.
Stanley Alan Plotkin is an American physician who works as a consultant to vaccine manufacturers, such as Sanofi Pasteur, as well as biotechnology firms, non-profits and governments. In the 1960s, he played a pivotal role in discovery of a vaccine against rubella virus while working at Wistar Institute in Philadelphia. Plotkin was a member of Wistar’s active research faculty from 1960 to 1991. Today, in addition to his emeritus appointment at Wistar, he is emeritus professor of Pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania. His book, Vaccines, is the standard reference on the subject. He is an editor with Clinical and Vaccine Immunology, which is published by the American Society for Microbiology in Washington, D.C.
Viral pneumonia is a pneumonia caused by a virus. Pneumonia is an infection that causes inflammation in one or both of the lungs. The pulmonary alveoli fill with fluid or pus making it difficult to breathe. Pneumonia can be caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi or parasites. Viruses are the most common cause of pneumonia in children, while in adults bacteria are a more common cause.
A vertically transmitted infection is an infection caused by pathogenic bacteria or viruses that use mother-to-child transmission, that is, transmission directly from the mother to an embryo, fetus, or baby during pregnancy or childbirth. It can occur when the mother has a pre-existing disease or becomes infected during pregnancy. Nutritional deficiencies may exacerbate the risks of perinatal infections. Vertical transmission is important for the mathematical modelling of infectious diseases, especially for diseases of animals with large litter sizes, as it causes a wave of new infectious individuals.
Brivudine is an antiviral drug used in the treatment of herpes zoster ("shingles"). Like other antivirals, it acts by inhibiting replication of the target virus.
The MMRV vaccine combines the attenuated virus MMR vaccine with the addition of the chickenpox vaccine or varicella vaccine. The MMRV vaccine is typically given to children between one and two years of age.
A zoster vaccine is a vaccine that reduces the incidence of herpes zoster (shingles), a disease caused by reactivation of the varicella zoster virus, which is also responsible for chickenpox. Shingles provokes a painful rash with blisters, and can be followed by chronic pain, as well as other complications. Older people are more often affected, as are people with weakened immune systems (immunosuppression). Both shingles and postherpetic neuralgia can be prevented by vaccination.
Varicella vaccine, also known as chickenpox vaccine, is a vaccine that protects against chickenpox. One dose of vaccine prevents 95% of moderate disease and 100% of severe disease. Two doses of vaccine are more effective than one. If given to those who are not immune within five days of exposure to chickenpox it prevents most cases of disease. Vaccinating a large portion of the population also protects those who are not vaccinated. It is given by injection just under the skin. Another vaccine, known as zoster vaccine, is used to prevent diseases caused by the same virus – the varicella zoster virus.
Mollaret's meningitis is a recurrent or chronic inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, known collectively as the meninges. Since Mollaret's meningitis is a recurrent, benign (non-cancerous), aseptic meningitis, it is also referred to as benign recurrent lymphocytic meningitis. It was named for Pierre Mollaret, the French neurologist who first described it in 1944.
Chickenpox, or chicken pox, also known as varicella, is a highly contagious, vaccine-preventable disease caused by the initial infection with varicella zoster virus (VZV), a member of the herpesvirus family. The disease results in a characteristic skin rash that forms small, itchy blisters, which eventually scab over. It usually starts on the chest, back, and face. It then spreads to the rest of the body. The rash and other symptoms, such as fever, tiredness, and headaches, usually last five to seven days. Complications may occasionally include pneumonia, inflammation of the brain, and bacterial skin infections. The disease is usually more severe in adults than in children.
Ann M. Arvin is an American pediatrician and microbiologist. She is the Lucile Salter Packard Professor of Pediatrics and Professor of Microbiology & Immunology Emerita at Stanford University. Arvin is a specialist of the Varicella zoster virus (VZV) and a prominent national figure in health. Arvin is currently the chief of the infectious diseases division of pediatrics at the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, as well as the former Stanford's Vice Provost and Dean of Research.
VZV globulin or VZV antibodies is an immune system medication that is used mostly for immunosuppressed patients who have been or may be exposed to the varicella zoster virus. It shortens the course of cutaneous disease and may protect against its dissemination. Varicella zoster virus is a human herpes virus that causes chickenpox, shingles, Ramsay Hunt syndrome type II, and postherpetic neuralgia. Unlike a Zoster vaccine which provides durable immunity, the protection is passive and short term; it may need to be readministered every 2-4 weeks as necessary. This medication is not recommended for administration to immune-competent persons for the treatment of active disease.
Michiaki Takahashi was a Japanese virologist, best known for inventing the first chickenpox vaccine. He developed the "Oka" vaccine by producing v-Oka, a live-attenuated virus strain of varicella zoster virus.
Stephen E. Straus was an American physician, immunologist, virologist and science administrator. He is particularly known for his research into human herpesviruses and chronic fatigue syndrome, and for his discovery of the autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome genetic disorder. He headed the Laboratory of Clinical Investigation of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health (NIH), and served as the founding director of the NIH's National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
Judith Breuer is a British virologist who is professor of virology and director of the Pathogen Genomics Unit at University College London. She was elected a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences in 2019. Breuer is part of the United Kingdom genome sequencing team that looks to map the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019.
Live recombinant vaccines are biological preparations that improve immunity through the use of live bacteria or viruses that are genetically modified. These live pathogens are biologically engineered to express exogenous antigens in the cytoplasm of target cells, triggering immune responses as a result. This form of vaccine combines the beneficial features of attenuated and recombinant vaccines, providing the preparation with attenuated vaccines’ long-lasting immunity and recombinant vaccines’ genetically engineered precision and safety.
References
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- 1 2 Dietz, Nancy (2021). "Anne Angen Gershon '60 MD is a trailblazer and a lifesaver" (PDF).
- ↑ "Dr. Anne Gershon, MD, Pediatrics Specialist - New York, NY". Sharecare. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
- ↑ Gershon, Anne A. (1972-11-01). "Herpes Simplex Infection of the Newborn". Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. 124 (5): 739–741. doi:10.1001/archpedi.1972.02110170117021. ISSN 1072-4710. PMID 4343658.
- ↑ Yardley, William (Dec 21, 2013). "Michiaki Takahashi, 85, Who Tamed Chickenpox, Dies". The New York Times .
- ↑ Marin, Mona; Seward, Jane F; Gershon, Anne A (2022-10-21). "25 Years of Varicella Vaccination in the United States". The Journal of Infectious Diseases. 226 (Suppl 4): S375–S379. doi:10.1093/infdis/jiac251. ISSN 0022-1899. PMC 10310989 . PMID 36265845.
- ↑ Gershon, A. A.; Steinberg, S. P. (April 1990). "Live attenuated varicella vaccine: protection in healthy adults compared with leukemic children. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Varicella Vaccine Collaborative Study Group". The Journal of Infectious Diseases. 161 (4): 661–666. doi:10.1093/infdis/161.4.661. ISSN 0022-1899. PMID 2156941.
- ↑ Arvin, Ann M.; Gershon, Anne A. (2000). Varicella-zoster virus: virology and clinical management. Cambridge: Cambridge university press. ISBN 978-0-521-66024-2.
- ↑ Radice, Lauren (2013-04-23). "Dr. Anne Gershon Receives 2013 Albert B. Sabin Gold Medal Award". Sabin Vaccine Institute. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
- ↑ 2019 NFID Awards Dinner: Anne A. Gershon, MD , retrieved 2023-11-28