Varicella-Zoster Viruses

Dear Colleagues,

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is the only human herpesvirus with three vaccines approved by the FDA, in the United States, and the European Medicines Agency. The first vaccine is the live attenuated varicella virus vaccine to prevent varicella in childhood, and the second vaccine is the live attenuated vaccine to prevent herpes zoster in adults. There is now an approved subunit vaccine containing only the VZV gE protein, for the prevention of herpes zoster in adults. The adjuvanted subunit vaccine is more effective than the whole live virus vaccine. The reasons for these differences in effectiveness are yet to be determined. There is also continued interest in the neurotropism of both wild-type VZV and live-vaccine-type VZV. The most feared complication of herpes zoster in adults is post herpetic neuralgia. Yet, we have only begun to study the VZV-induced mechanisms that are responsible for post-herpetic neuroglia. Further, we continue to search for better therapeutic protocols to manage post-herpetic neuralgia. The live varicella vaccine is known to retain its neurotropism, as documented by cases of vaccine-related herpes zoster, sometimes with concomitant meningitis. Three deaths from dissemination of the live herpes zoster vaccine have been recorded, one each in three different countries: Scotland, Australia, and Canada. Within the basic research arena, great interest has been generated by the discovery of a fusion transcript that includes a latency-associated transcript (VLT) and a gene 63 transcript (VLT-ORF63). Finally, there is renewed interest in whether the alpha herpesviruses, including VZV, are involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease. Therefore, many questions remain to be answered about the neurotropism of wild-type VZV and also the live attenuated varicella and zoster vaccines

Prof. Dr. Charles Grose
Guest Editor

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• neurotropism
• neuronal spread
• latency
• meningitis
• encephalitis
• herpes zoster
• vaccines
• attenuation
• Alzheimer’s disease
• sequencing and evolution