herpes
Chlamydia pneumoniae and multiple infections in the aorta contribute to atherosclerosis.

Shi Y, Tokunaga O.

Department of Pathology, Saga Medical School, Nabeshima, Saga, Japan. shiu post.saga-med.ac.jp

Our previous study on herpes virus infection including Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV) and atherosclerosis revealed that the prevalence of herpes virus is higher in atherosclerotic aorta than in non-atherosclerotic aorta. Infections with two or three forms of the virus have been found only in atherosclerotic aorta. In our current study, we examined both Chlamydia pneumoniae and Chlamydia trachomatis in herpes virus-infected aortic tissues, by means of immunohistochemistry, polymerase chain reaction, Southern hybridization, in situ hybridization, electron microscopy and electron-microscopic immunohistochemistry. In particular, the bacteria were found in atherosclerotic lesions. In atherosclerotic aorta, 40% of tissues examined were positive for C. pneumoniae in contrast to absence of this bacteria in non-atherosclerotic aorta. Elementary bodies of C. pneumoniae were found in macrophage-like cells in the intima of atherosclerotic aorta by electron microscopy. Chlamydia trachomatis was not found in both atherosclerotic and non-atherosclerotic aorta. Our findings suggest that multiple infections in aortic tissue contribute to the development of atherosclerosis. Furthermore, the absence of C. pneumoniae compared to herpes viruses in normal arterial tissue suggests that C. pneumoniae is specific for atherosclerotic lesions. In contrast to 'abortive infection' of viruses in arteries, C. pneumoniae infection was demonstrated in macrophages by electron microscopy and electron-microscopic immunohistochemistry in atherosclerotic lesion.Chlamydia pneumoniae may be the most important pathogen related to the development of atherosclerosis.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12588444&dopt=Abstract herpes medicine



herpes
Prevalence of herpesviridae and hepatitis virus sequences in the livers of patients with fulminant hepatitis of unknown etiology in Japan.

Ishikawa K, Hasegawa K, Naritomi T, Kanai N, Ogawa M, Kato Y, Kobayashi M, Torii N, Hayashi N.

Institute of Gastroenterology, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Japan.

BACKGROUND: Fulminant non-A, non-B, non-C hepatitis has a high mortality rate, making the identification of its causative agent imperative. Cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, human herpes virus-6, and herpes simplex virus are all members of the herpesviridae family that are associated with fatal hepatic failure. We investigated the involvement of herpesviridae and hepatitis virus in the pathogenesis of fulminant hepatitis. METHODS: The study participants consisted of 11 patients with fulminant hepatitis and 11 with acute hepatitis negative for known hepatitis viral markers and any other liver diseases. Viral DNA was extracted from liver tissues and amplified. In situ hybridization was then performed for 1 patient to detect viral DNA and RNA, and viral protein was localized by monoclonal antibodies. RESULTS: Human herpes virus-6 was detected in liver tissues from seven patients, (five children and two adults) with fulminant hepatitis and two patients with acute hepatitis. Two patients with fulminant hepatitis also had cytomegalovirus in the liver. Although Epstein-Barr virus and herpes simplex virus were detected in the patients with fulminant hepatitis, they were not specific to these patients. In situ hybridization in one of the patients localized DNA and RNA of human herpes virus-6 in hepatocyte nuclei, and an envelope antigen of this virus was detected in hepatocyte cytoplasm. CONCLUSIONS: Human herpes virus-6 was frequently detected in Japanese pediatric patients with fulminant non-A, non-B, non-C hepatitis. Although the significance of human herpes virus-6 in liver pathogenesis remains unclear, this virus may replicate in hepatocytes in some patients with acute onset hepatitis.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12162410&dopt=Abstract herpes medicine



herpes
Penciclovir susceptibilities of herpes simplex virus isolates from patients using penciclovir cream for treatment of recurrent herpes labialis.

Sarisky RT, Bacon T, Boon R, Locke L, Nguyen TT, Leary J, Esser K, Saltzman R.

Department of Host Defense, The Antimicrobial and Host Defense Center of Excellence for Drug Discovery, GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals, Collegeville, Pennsylvania 19426-0989, USA. robert_t_sarisky gsk.com

The antiherpes virus agent penciclovir (PCV) shares an identical activation pathway and a similar mode of action with acyclovir (ACV). However, since PCV represents a relatively recent treatment option, the clinical resistance profile to PCV is less well known. A susceptibility program was established to assess the resistance profile for serial herpes simplex virus isolates from immunocompetent patients with recurrent herpes labialis obtained throughout a 4-day period of treatment with topical PCV (1% cream) or a placebo. Two isolates (2 of 1,035 [0.19%]), representing 0.34% of the patients (2 of 585), were confirmed to be PCV-resistant (Pcv(r)) herpes simplex virus type 1 by a plaque reduction assay in MRC-5 cells. These two viruses were highly resistant to PCV (50% inhibitory concentrations [IC(50)s], >55 micro g/ml) and were isolated less than 17 h after the start of patient-initiated treatment. However, subsequent isolates on days 2 and 3 from these patients were completely susceptible to PCV (IC(50)s, <2.0 micro g/ml). Thus, it is not clear whether the resistance to PCV for these two early-treatment isolates was directly associated with the 17 h of PCV treatment; several possible explanations are discussed. In an analysis of the distribution of IC(50) differences between the first and last isolates, there were three patients with minor IC(50) increases in the PCV-treated population and one in the placebo-treated group, although statistically, only the latter was an outlier. No patients were found to have Pcv(r) virus at the end of acute treatment, regardless of treatment group. Overall, the prevalence of Pcv(r) was found to be similar to the 0.3% Acv(r) reported for immunocompetent, untreated populations.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12183237&dopt=Abstract herpes medicine



herpes
Detection of herpes simplex virus DNA in serum and oral secretions during acute recurrent herpes labialis.

Youssef R, Shaker O, Sobeih S, Mashaly H, Mostafa WZ.

Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt.

Although herpes simplex virus (HSV) has been detected in the peripheral blood of immunocompromised patients and in neonates with disseminated disease, the extent to which the virus may be present in the blood during a localized infection in otherwise healthy patients is still unknown. Literature on patterns of HSV shedding into the oral cavity at the prodromal stage of the disease, during recurrences, and also during asymptomatic periods is still lacking. The present study aims at the detection of HSV DNA in the serum and oral secretions during acute herpes labialis using a highly sensitive technique, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The study included 10 patients with acute herpes labialis and five healthy controls. Using PCR, herpes simplex virus DNA was detected in the serum of seven patients (70%) and in the saliva of nine patients (90%). One of the control cases showed positive HSV DNA in the saliva (20%). There was good statistical agreement between the presence of HSV DNA in the serum and saliva. Frequency of attacks, patient's age, and gender had no statistically significant effect on the presence of the virus in serum or in saliva. It is concluded that HSV viremia during attacks of recurrent herpes simplex is more frequent than previously appreciated.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12184636&dopt=Abstract herpes medicine



herpes
The Epstein-Barr virus SM protein is functionally similar to ICP27 from herpes simplex virus in viral infections.

Boyer JL, Swaminathan S, Silverstein SJ.

Department of Microbiology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York 10032, USA.

The herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) ICP27 protein is an essential RNA-binding protein that shuttles between the nucleus and cytoplasm to increase the cytoplasmic accumulation of viral late mRNAs. ICP27 homologs have been identified in each of the herpes virus subfamilies, and accumulating evidence indicates that homologs from the gammaherpes virus subfamily function similarly to ICP27. In particular, the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) SM protein posttranscriptionally regulates gene expression, binds RNA in vitro and in vivo, and shuttles between the nucleus and cytoplasm. To determine if these two proteins function through a common mechanism, the ability of EBV SM to complement the growth defect of an HSV-1 ICP27-null virus was examined in a transient-expression assay. ICP27 stimulated the growth of the null mutant more efficiently than did SM, but the ability of SM to compensate for the ICP27 defects suggests conservation of common functions. To assay for complementation in the context of a viral infection, the growth properties of an HSV recombinant expressing SM in an ICP27-null background were analyzed. SM stimulated growth of the recombinant, although this growth was reduced by comparison to that of an ICP27-expressing virus. By contrast, an HSV recombinant expressing an SM mutant allele defective for transactivation activity and nucleocytoplasmic shuttling did not grow at all. These results suggest that SM and ICP27 may regulate gene expression through a common pathway that is evolutionarily conserved in herpes viruses.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12186924&dopt=Abstract herpes medicine



herpes
FTIR spectroscopic method for detection of cells infected with herpes viruses.

Salman A, Erukhimovitch V, Talyshinsky M, Huleihil M, Huleihel M.

Department of Physics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel.

Microscopic FTIR spectroscopy was used to investigate the spectral differences between normal cells in culture and cells infected with various members of the herpes family of viruses [Herpes simplex (HSV) and Varicella zoster (VZV)]. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the possibility of developing microscopic FTIR spectroscopy as a sensitive assay for the detection of herpetic infections at their early stages. The advantage of this method over conventional FTIR spectroscopy is that it facilitates inspection of restricted regions of tissue. Our results showed significant and consistent differences between all normal and HSV or VZV infected cells that were tested. Detectable and significant spectral differences between normal and infected cells are seen as early as 24 h postinfection, but the damage of the cells (cytopathic effect), caused by the infecting virus, can be seen by optical microscope observations at only 3 days postinfection. An impressive increase in the levels of vital cellular metabolites was seen in the herpes virus infected cells compared to normal cells. It seems that this spectral behavior is unique for infection with herpes viruses, because when these cells were infected with other viruses from different families like retroviruses, a considerable decrease in the levels of vital cellular metabolites was seen in infected cells compared to normal cells. Cluster analysis performed on FTIR mass chromatography yielded 100% accuracy in classifying control uninfected and VZV or HSV infected cells. Our data strongly support the possibility of developing FTIR microscopy as a diagnostic method for early detection of herpetic infections. Copyright 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12209448&dopt=Abstract herpes medicine



herpes
[Study on the etiology of herpes viral encephalitis in Changsha area]

[Article in Chinese]

Liu SP, Xiao YM, Xia ZD.

Department of Microbiology, Hunan Medical University, Changsha, 410078.

OBJECTIVE: To study the relationship between herpes viral infection and viral encephalitis. METHODS: The cerebral spinal fluid(CSF) and sera of the patients with viral encephalitis were detected for herpes virus-specific IgG and IgM with indirect fluorescent antibody assay (IFA). RESULTS: One hundred and thirty-three (14.4%) cases of 921 patients with viral encephalitis were diagnosed as herpes simplex viral encephalitis, of which the maximum morbidity is under the age of 10, 9(0.98%) cases as cytomegaloviral encephalitis and 12 (1.3%) cases as varicella-zoster viral encephalitis. CONCLUSION: Herpes simplex viruses are the common causative agents of viral encephalitis in Changsha area, and IFA is valuable for the diagnosis of herpes viral encephalitis.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12212203&dopt=Abstract herpes medicine



herpes
Secretion and dynamics of herpes simplex virus in tears and saliva of patients with Bell's palsy.

Abiko Y, Ikeda M, Hondo R.

Department of Otolaryngology, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.

OBJECTIVE: For clarification of the direct relationship between the reactivation of herpes simplex virus and the development of Bell's Palsy, a detection of the virus genome by deoxyribonucleic acid diagnostics and a quantitative analysis of its time-course change are both needed. The authors detected the HSV genome in specimens from patients with Bell's Palsy, quantified its number of copies, and examined time-course changes. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The subjects were 16 patients with Bell's Palsy. The tear fluid and saliva from the submandibular gland and the parotid gland were separately collected from the affected and unaffected sides twice or more. A total of 244 specimens were subjected to extraction of deoxyribonucleic acid, polymerase chain reaction, and microplate hybridization. RESULTS: Herpes simplex virus-1 deoxyribonucleic acid was detected in 38 specimens (11.8%) from 5 patients (31%). The high detection (28.5%) was obtained within 2 weeks after onset. Detection at 3 weeks and later (2.8%) was significantly lower ( < 0.05). In three cases, deoxyribonucleic acid was also found on the unaffected side in the initial phase of the disease, but detection on that side (18.9%) was significantly lower than on the affected side (83.8%) ( < 0.01). The number of copies of the herpes simplex virus-1 genome was large on the affected side and early after the onset of the disease. CONCLUSIONS: The reactivation of herpes simplex virus-1 on the affected side is involved as a pathogenic factor of Bell's Palsy. A reactivation of herpes simplex virus-1 may be generated even on the unaffected side in the early phase of the disease. Herpes simplex virus deoxyribonucleic acid was not detected in any of the examined specimens collected from the remaining 11 cases. The need for constant study to clarify other causative factors of Bell's Palsy remains.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12218634&dopt=Abstract herpes medicine