Search results for "Herpesvirus 3"

The epidemiology of Varicella Zoster Virus infection in Italy

2008

Abstract Background The epidemiological importance of varicella and zoster and the availability of an efficacious and safe vaccine have led to an important international debate regarding the suitability of mass vaccination. The objective of the study was to describe the epidemiology of varicella and zoster in Italy and to determine whether there have been changes with respect to observations provided by an analogous study conducted 8 years ago, in order to define the most appropriate vaccination strategy. Methods A number of data sources were evaluated, a cross-sectional population-based seroprevalence study was conducted on samples collected in 2004, and the results were compared with data…

Immunogenicity and safety of the adjuvanted recombinant zoster vaccine in adults with haematological malignancies: a phase 3, randomised, clinical tr…

2019

BACKGROUND: The adjuvanted recombinant zoster vaccine (Shingrix) can prevent herpes zoster in older adults and autologous haemopoietic stem cell transplant recipients. We evaluated the safety and immunogenicity of this vaccine in adults with haematological malignancies receiving immunosuppressive cancer treatments. METHODS: In this phase 3, randomised, observer-blind, placebo-controlled study, done at 77 centres worldwide, we randomly assigned (1:1) patients with haematological malignancies aged 18 years and older to receive two doses of the adjuvanted recombinant zoster vaccine or placebo 1-2 months apart during or after immunosuppressive cancer treatments, and stratified participants acco…

Acyclovir treatment in 2 patients with benign trigeminal sensory neuropathy

2001

Hemichorea associated with varicella-zoster reinfection and endocarditis. A case report.

1985

A 20-year-old woman developed transient right-sided hemichoreatic movements after household exposure to varicella-zoster. Some days before the appearance of involuntary movements a vesicular rash had occurred. About 6 months later an elevated IgG serum titer against varicella virus was found and two-dimensional echocardiography showed signs of an endocarditis. During the following 2 months the IgG value returned to within the normal range and the choreatic movements disappeared almost totally. The possibility is discussed that endocarditis had been caused and maintained by serum antibodies to varicella-zoster virus which cross-reacted with valvular tissue. Embolization to the region of the …

Apoptosis induced by (E)-5-(2-bromovinyl)-2'-deoxyuridine in varicella zoster virus thymidine kinase-expressing cells is driven by activation of c-Ju…

2003

The molecular mode of cell killing by the antiviral drug (E)-5-(2-bromovinyl-2'-deoxyuridine (BVDU) was studied in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells stably transfected with the thymidine kinase gene (tk) of varicella zoster virus (CHO-VZVtk). The colony-forming ability of the cells was reduced to <1% at a concentration of approximately 1 microM BVDU, whereas for nontransfected cells or cells transfected with tk gene of herpes simplex virus type 1 (CHO-HSVtk), a 1000-fold higher dose was required to achieve the same response. BVDU inhibited thymidylate synthase in CHO-VZVtk but not in CHO-HSVtk and control cells. On the other hand, the drug was incorporated into DNA of VZVtk- and HSVtk-expre…

Decline in hospitalization rates for herpes zoster in Italy (2003-2018): reduction in the burden of disease or changing of hospitalization criteria?

2022

Background: Herpes Zoster (HZ) is a very demanding disease caused by the reactivation of latent Varicella Zoster Virus. The main aim of this study was to estimate the burden of the HZ hospitalizations in Italy from 2003 to 2018 evaluating temporal trends. Methods: Retrospective population-based study analyzing Hospital Discharge Records. Hospitalization records reporting the ICD-9 CM 053.X code in the principal diagnosis or in any of the five secondary diagnoses were considered as cases. Trends of hospitalization rates have been evaluated by Joinpoint analyses. Results: Overall, 99,036 patients were hospitalized with HZ in the 16-year period of the study, and 83,720 (84.5%) of these patient…

Space-time airborne disease mapping applied to detect specific behaviour of varicella in Valencia, Spain.

2015

Airborne diseases are one of humanity's most feared sicknesses and have regularly caused concern among specialists. Varicella is an airborne disease which usually affects children before the age of 10. Because of its nature, varicella gives rise to interesting spatial, temporal and spatio-temporal patterns. This paper studies spatio-temporal exploratory analysis tools to detect specific behaviour of varicella in the city of Valencia, Spain, from 2008 to 2013. These methods have shown a significant association between the spatial and the temporal component, confirmed by the space-time models applied to the data. High relative risk of varicella is observed in economically disadvantaged region…

Recovery of Varicella-Zoster Virus–Specific T Cell Immunity after T Cell–Depleted Allogeneic Transplantation Requires Symptomatic Virus Reactivation

2008

Abstract Reactivated varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infection causes herpes zoster and commonly occurs after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Because VZV-specific T cell immunity is essential to prevent virus reactivation, we developed an interferon-γ enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot (ELISPOT) assay for the sensitive detection of VZV-reactive T cells at the single-cell level ex vivo. We used this assay to monitor the frequency of VZV-reactive T cells in 17 seropositive patients during the first year after T cell–depleted allo-HSCT. The patients did not receive anti-herpesvirus prophylaxis after stem cell engraftment. Independent of the magnitude of transferred d…

Cellular immune response of a varicella vaccine following simultaneous DTaP and VZV vaccination.

1999

Abstract Background : Chickenpox and zoster are an important cause of morbidity among children and adults. The ability of a new, thermostable vaccine to induce varicella–zoster-virus (VZV)-specific humoral and cell mediated immunity when given simultaneously with diphtheria–tetanus-acellular pertussis vaccine (DTaP) as a booster dose in the second year of life was investigated. Methods : A new, temperature stable varicella vaccine (OKA-strain, SB-Biologicals, Rixensart, Belgium) was given simultaneously with a booster dose of DTaP vaccine. VZV-specific humoral and cell-mediated immunity was studied in the first 27 out of 232 vaccinated children at 16–28 months of age, from blood samples dra…

UNIVERSAL VARICELLA VACCINATION IN THE SICILIAN PAEDIATRIC POPULATION: RAPID UPTAKE OF THE VACCINATION PROGRAMME AND MORBIDITY TRENDS OVER FIVE YEARS

2009

Following the licensure of the Oka/Merck varicella vaccine in Italy in January 2003, the Sicilian health authorities launched a universal vaccination programme in all nine Local Health Units. A two-cohort vaccination strategy was adopted to minimise the shift of the mean age of varicella occurrence to older age groups, with the goal of vaccinating with one dose at least 80% of children in their second year of life and 50% of susceptible adolescents in their 12th year of life. Two studies were implemented in parallel to closely monitor vaccination coverage as well as varicella incidence. Overall, the programme achieved its target, with 87.5% vaccine coverage for the birth cohort 2005 and 90.…