herpes
Relationship between antibodies to herpes simplex virus (HSV) and symptoms of HSV infection.

Cowan FM, Johnson AM, Ashley R, Corey L, Mindel A.

Department of Sexually Transmitted Diseases, University College London Medical School, United Kingdom.

To determine the relationship between antibodies to herpes simplex virus (HSV) types 1 and 2 and diagnosis of orolabial and genital herpes, a cross-sectional survey was done among 869 sexually transmitted disease clinic attendees and 1594 blood donors in London. Among clinic attenders, the prevalence of HSV-1 infection was 59.5% and that of HSV-2 infection was 22.7%, and among blood donors the prevalence was 44.6% and 7.6%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of a diagnosis of oral herpes for the presence of HSV-1 antibody was almost identical in the 2 groups (clinic attendees: sensitivity, 33.1%, and specificity, 91.4%; blood donors: sensitivity, 32.3%, and specificity, 94.3%). A diagnosis of genital herpes was less sensitive for antibody for HSV-2 among donors than among clinic attenders (P < .001); however, the specificity was similar in the 2 populations (clinic attendees: sensitivity, 32.1%, and specificity, 96.6%; blood donors: sensitivity, 17.5%, and specificity, 99.5%). False-positive clinical histories were also relatively common (clinic attenders, 12%; donors, 6%). The sensitivity of the diagnosis of genital herpes would be improved if accurate serologic assays for detection of HSV type-specific antibodies were more widely available.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=8769602&dopt=Abstract herpes medicine



herpes
Detection of herpesviridae in postmortem multiple sclerosis brain tissue and controls by polymerase chain reaction.

Sanders VJ, Felisan S, Waddell A, Tourtellotte WW.

Department of Neurology, UCLA School of Medicine 90095, USA.

OBJECTIVE: To test for the presence of herpes viruses in postmortem brain samples from multiple sclerosis patients and controls using polymerase chain reaction. BACKGROUND: Herpes simplex virus, varicella-zoster virus, Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, and human herpes virus-6 are common viruses capable of persistence and latency. All have been detected in the CNS. METHODS: Active and inactive plaque tissue, unaffected white matter (WM) and gray matter (GM) from MS cases, and WM and GM controls (Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and non-neurological disease) were screened for the herpes virus by PCR. RESULTS: (1) 37% of the MS cases were positive for herpes simplex virus (HSV). Twenty-eight percent of controls cases were positive for HSV. Forty-one percent of active plaques were positive for HSV in contrast to only 20% of inactive plaques (Sanders et al, 1996). (2) 57% of the MS cases and 43% of the control cases were positive for HHV-6. Thirty-two percent of the active plaques contained HHV-6 compared to 17% of inactive plaques. (3) 43% of the MS cases and 32% of the control cases were positive for VZV. Fourteen percent of the active plaques and 10% of the inactive plaques were positive for VZV. (4) 27% of MS cases and 38% of control cases were positive for EBV. Five percent of the active plaques were positive for EBV and 10% of the inactive plaques were positive. (5) 16% of the MS cases and 22% of the controls were positive for CMV. Nine percent of the active plaques and 10% of the inactive plaques were positive. We also compared MS WM and GM with controls and found no significant difference. CONCLUSIONS: HSV, HHV-6, and VZV were present in a greater frequency of MS cases compared to controls; however, no statistical differences were noted. The presence of herpes virus in all tissue makes an etiologic association to MS uncertain. Cellular localization of virus and its relationship to pathology and latency may reveal an association.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=8799216&dopt=Abstract herpes medicine



herpes
The BamHI fragment 9 of pseudorabies virus contains genes homologous to the UL24, UL25, UL26, and UL 26.5 genes of herpes simplex virus type 1.

Dezelee S, Bras F, Vende P, Simonet B, Nguyen X, Flamand A, Masse MJ.

Genetique des Virus, CNRS, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.

The genomes of pseudorabies virus (PrV) and of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1) are colinear, excepting an inversion in the unique long region, of which one extremity resides within the BamHI fragment 9. This fragment (4088 bp) encodes the counterparts of HSV1 UL24, UL25, UL26 and UL26.5 that are transcribed into four 3'-coterminal mRNAs. Multiple alignments of UL24, UL25 and UL26 protein homologs from alpha-, beta- and gamma-herpes viruses were performed. The PrV UL24 protein is shorter than its counterparts, missing the non-conserved COOH-terminal region. The region which is common to all viruses contains a basic NH2-terminus and a hydrophobic COOH-end, suggesting that UL24 may function as a matrix protein. The UL25 proteins are well conserved, particularly among the alpha-herpes viruses. All the domains involved in the proteolytic activity of theUL26 protein are highly conserved, as well as the two cleavage sites. Thus, its function and processing may be similar in PrV as in other herpes viruses. Due to the fact that in PrV the UL26 and UL44 genes are adjacent and their ends are conserved, the right border of the inversion must lie within their intergenic region.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=8806172&dopt=Abstract herpes medicine



herpes
DNA sequence and transcriptional analysis of the UL1 to UL5 gene cluster of infectious laryngotracheitis virus.

Fuchs W, Mettenleiter TC.

Institute of Molecular and Cellular Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler Institutes, Federal Research Centre for Virus Diseases of Animals, Insel Riems, Germany. Walter.Fuchs Rie.BFAV.de

We have cloned and sequenced the KpnI L and M restriction fragments of infectious laryngotracheitis virus (ILTV, gallid herpes virus 1) DNA, which are localized adjacently at the right end of the unique long region of the genome. Within the 6930 bp DNA sequence six complete open reading frames (ORFs) were identified. The predicted amino acid sequences of four of them exhibit significant homologies to the UL5 (helicase), UL4, UL3 and UL2 (uracil-DNA glycosylase) genes, which are conserved in similar arrangement in all alphaherpes virus genomes characterized up to now. A short ORF of 72 codons between UL3 and UL4 of ILTV is positionally homologous to the UL3.5 gene present in the genomes of different members of the Varicellovirus genus of alphaherpes viruses, but not in herpes simplex virus. The predicted ILTV protein encoded upstream of UL2 possesses limited sequence homology to the UL1 gene product of herpes viruses, the structural glycoprotein L. The presence of a N-terminal signal sequence, a conserved N-glycosylation site and two conserved cysteine residues indicates a similar function of the putative ILTV protein. Upstream of the UL1 gene of ILTV the C-terminal part of an additional ORF designated as ULO was identified, which exhibits no significant homology to known herpes virus genes. RNA analyses indicate the expression of all detected ILTV genes including ULO.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=8811022&dopt=Abstract herpes medicine



herpes
Infection concomitant with pediatric renal allograft rejection.

Acott PD, Lee SH, Bitter-Suermann H, Lawen JG, Crocker JF.

Department of Pediatrics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Renal allograft rejection episodes are frequent in children and often lead to allograft failure. Frequent association of fever with rejection in our transplant program provoked a prospective evaluation of concurrent infection during rejection episodes. Because cytomegalovirus has an established role in rejection and allograft survival, evaluation of cytomegalovirus and other herpes viruses (human simplex virus type 1, varicella, Epstein-Barr virus, and human herpes virus type 6 [HHV-6]) was undertaken in addition to standard bacterial investigation. A total of 37 patients were followed over a 30-month period. Six of eight rejection episodes were associated with herpes viruses (HHV-6, n = 6, and Epstein-Barr virus, n = 1). Three of the herpes-group-associated rejection episodes were treated with antiviral therapy in addition to pulse steroid treatment, with full recovery. The three patients with HHV-6-associated rejection episodes who were treated with pulse steroids, but no antiviral therapy, developed chronic allograft rejection. The recipient's response to allograft antigens may be influenced by concomitant herpes infection, and specific antiviral therapy appears to be indicated when infection is confirmed in association with rejection. An antiviral treatment program coupled with modulation of standard antirejection immunotherapy has the potential to improve morbidity and mortality in the pediatric renal transplant population.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=8830838&dopt=Abstract herpes medicine



herpes
Acyclovir prophylaxis in late pregnancy to prevent neonatal herpes: a cost-effectiveness analysis.

Randolph AG, Hartshorn RM, Washington AE.

Department of Pediatrics and Obstetrics, Institute for Health Policy Studies, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, USA.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the cost-effectiveness of oral acyclovir prophylaxis in late pregnancy to the current strategy of cesarean delivery for genital herpes lesions in the prevention of neonatal herpes transmission from mothers with recurrent genital infections. METHODS: Decision analysis was used to evaluate the clinical outcomes and direct costs of a prevention program from the health care payer's perspective. Probabilities were obtained from the literature and experts. Cost data were based on hospital costs and a cohort of herpes-infected neonates. RESULTS: Acyclovir prophylaxis during late pregnancy followed by cesarean delivery for genital lesions at delivery in women with recurrent genital herpes requires 1818 women to follow this strategy to prevent one neonatal infection and 7.4 women to take acyclovir to prevent one outbreak of genital herpes at delivery, at a cost (above no intervention) of over $493,000 per neonatal infection prevented, $1.1 million per neonatal death or disability prevented, and $1444 per maternal outbreak prevented. Cesarean delivery for genital herpes lesions requires 386 women with recurrent herpes to undergo cesareans to prevent one neonatal infection, at a cost of more than $1.3 million per neonatal infection prevented and more than $3 million per neonatal death or disability prevented. If acyclovir is given and herpes lesions still occur, the incremental cost of requiring cesarean delivery for these women over vaginal delivery with culture and follow-up of exposed infants is more than $1.4 million per neonatal infection prevented. CONCLUSION: Oral acyclovir prophylaxis in late pregnancy for women with recurrent genital herpes is more cost-effective than the current strategy of cesarean delivery for all women presenting with genital herpes lesions.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=8841227&dopt=Abstract herpes medicine



herpes
Patient recognition of recrudescent herpes labialis: a clinical and virological assessment.

Lamey PJ, Biagioni PA.

Division of Oral Medicine, School of Clinical Dentistry, Queen's University of Belfast, UK.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to ascertain how accurate the general public was at diagnosing the condition of recrudescent herpes labialis. METHODS: An advertisement was placed in a local newspaper inviting patients to attend the Oral Medicine Clinic as soon as they thought they developed the clinically evident stage of herpes labialis. At the clinic, patients were examined to confirm the clinical presence of herpes labialis and also had a swab of the lesion(s) taken for virus culture. Virus culture was by the HEP-2 culture technique capable of detecting both herpes simplex Type 1 and herpes simplex Type 2. Patients also completed a detailed questionnaire concerning their knowledge of herpes labialis. RESULTS: In total, 41 patients attended for screening. The findings were that all patients had clinical herpes labialis, and herpes simplex virus was isolated in 96% of cases. In contrast, in only about 50% of cases were patients aware that their herpes labialis was caused by a virus. CONCLUSIONS: The general public are very good at recognizing herpes labialis lesions but need to be given more information about their infectivity.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=8916645&dopt=Abstract herpes medicine



herpes
Identification and characterization of the bovine herpes virus 1 UL7 gene and gene product which are not essential for virus replication in cell culture.

Schmitt J, Keil GM.

Institute of Molecular and Cellular Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institutes, Insel Riems, Germany.

The UL7 gene of bovine herpes virus 1 (BHV-1) strain Schonboken was found at a position and in a context predicted from the gene order in the prototype alphaherpes virus herpes simplex virus type 1. The gene and flanking regions were sequenced, the UL7 RNA and protein were characterized, and 98.3% of the UL7 open reading frame was deleted from the viral genome without destroying productive virus replication. Concomitant deletion of nine 3' codons from the BHV-1 UL6 ORF and 77 amino acids from the carboxy terminus of the predicted BHV-1 UL8 protein demonstrated that these domains are also not essential for function of the respective proteins. The UL7 open reading frame encodes a protein of 300 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 32 kDa. Comparison with UL7 homologs of other alphaherpes viruses revealed a high degree of homology, the most prominent being to the predicted UL7 polypeptide of varicella-zoster virus, with 43.3% identical amino acids. A monospecific anti-UL7 serum identified the 33-kDa (apparent-molecular-mass) UL7 polypeptide which is translated from an early-expressed 1.7-kb RNA. The UL7 protein was localized in the cytoplasm of infected cells and could not be detected in purified virions. In summary, we describe the first identification of an alphaherpesviral UL7-encoded polypeptide and demonstrate that the UL7 protein is not essential for replication of BHV-1 in cell culture.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=8551568&dopt=Abstract herpes medicine