Ebook: Immunity to and Prevention of Herpes Zoster

Under sponsorship of the National Institutes of Health of Japan, an international conference entitled "Immunity and Prevention of Herpes Zoster" was held in 1 Osaka, Japan, March 8-10, 1999. Attendees included basic and clinical investi­ gators from Asia, Europe, and North America. The meeting was organized to explore progress made in basic virology and molecular understanding of varicella zoster (VZV), and to provide information on current knowledge of latency of VZV in humans. Updates on the immunology responses of humans to VZV, and a description of the current status of varicella vaccine worldwide were also included. In addition, the possibility of prevent­ ing zoster in people latently infected with wild-type VZV by immunizing them with varicella vaccine was presented. The papers in this volume include written summaries of most of the presentations given at that conference. Coincidentally but appropriately, the conference marked the twenty-fifth or "silver anniversary" of the first publication of the development and use of live varicella vaccine to prevent varicella, by Takahashi and his colleagues. Because varicella vaccine is the first herpesvirus vaccine licensed in use for humans, it is of special interest to all individuals who studied these pathogens. In view of the interest in developing vaccines against other herpes viruses, there was also a presentation on the current status of vaccines against cytomegaloviruses (CMV) at the conference.

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Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) causes both chickenpox and zoster. Fundamental to their prevention is an understanding of the natural history of VZV infection. This is a compilation of papers presented in March 1999 in Osaka, Japan, by internationally renowned researchers studying varicella-zoster virus and a vaccine used to prevent disease caused by this virus. The aim of the meeting was to explore progress made in basic and molecular biology of VZV and current understanding of latent infection and reactivation. Data concerning immune responses to VZV, mechanisms by which virus latency are controlled, and the latest information on vaccination to prevent varicella and zoster are presented and discussed.

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Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) causes both chickenpox and zoster. Fundamental to their prevention is an understanding of the natural history of VZV infection. This is a compilation of papers presented in March 1999 in Osaka, Japan, by internationally renowned researchers studying varicella-zoster virus and a vaccine used to prevent disease caused by this virus. The aim of the meeting was to explore progress made in basic and molecular biology of VZV and current understanding of latent infection and reactivation. Data concerning immune responses to VZV, mechanisms by which virus latency are controlled, and the latest information on vaccination to prevent varicella and zoster are presented and discussed.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages I-VII
The current status of live attenuated varicella vaccine....Pages 1-6
Evidence for frequent reactivation of the Oka varicella vaccine strain in healthy vaccinees....Pages 7-15
Investigation of varicella-zoster virus variation by heteroduplex mobility assay....Pages 17-25
Varicella-zoster virus with a lost gE epitope: evidence for immunological pressure by the human antibody response....Pages 27-39
Biologic and geographic differences between vaccine and clinical varicella-zoster virus isolates....Pages 41-48
Comparison of DNA sequence and transactivation activity of open reading frame 62 of Oka varicella vaccine and its parental viruses....Pages 49-56
Cis and trans elements regulating expression of the varicella zoster virus gI gene....Pages 57-70
Interactions among structural proteins of varicella zoster virus....Pages 71-79
The role of varicella zoster virus immediate-early proteins in latency and their potential use as components of vaccines....Pages 81-89
Mutagenesis of the varicella-zoster virus genome: lessons learned....Pages 91-97
Immune evasion mechanisms of varicella-zoster virus....Pages 99-107
Pathway of viral spread in herpes zoster: detection of the protein encoded by open reading frame 63 of varicella-zoster virus in biopsy specimens....Pages 109-119
Vaccination against cytomegalovirus....Pages 121-134
Varicella zoster virus in human and rat tissue specimens....Pages 135-142
In vitro measurement of human T cell responses to varicella zoster virus antigen....Pages 143-149
Use of varicella vaccines to prevent herpes zoster in older individuals....Pages 151-160
Immunization of the elderly to boost immunity against varicella-zoster virus (VZV) as assessed by VZV skin test reaction....Pages 161-172
Varicella-zoster virus immunity and prevention: a conference perspective....Pages 173-178
Back Matter....Pages 179-184

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Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) causes both chickenpox and zoster. Fundamental to their prevention is an understanding of the natural history of VZV infection. This is a compilation of papers presented in March 1999 in Osaka, Japan, by internationally renowned researchers studying varicella-zoster virus and a vaccine used to prevent disease caused by this virus. The aim of the meeting was to explore progress made in basic and molecular biology of VZV and current understanding of latent infection and reactivation. Data concerning immune responses to VZV, mechanisms by which virus latency are controlled, and the latest information on vaccination to prevent varicella and zoster are presented and discussed.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages I-VII
The current status of live attenuated varicella vaccine....Pages 1-6
Evidence for frequent reactivation of the Oka varicella vaccine strain in healthy vaccinees....Pages 7-15
Investigation of varicella-zoster virus variation by heteroduplex mobility assay....Pages 17-25
Varicella-zoster virus with a lost gE epitope: evidence for immunological pressure by the human antibody response....Pages 27-39
Biologic and geographic differences between vaccine and clinical varicella-zoster virus isolates....Pages 41-48
Comparison of DNA sequence and transactivation activity of open reading frame 62 of Oka varicella vaccine and its parental viruses....Pages 49-56
Cis and trans elements regulating expression of the varicella zoster virus gI gene....Pages 57-70
Interactions among structural proteins of varicella zoster virus....Pages 71-79
The role of varicella zoster virus immediate-early proteins in latency and their potential use as components of vaccines....Pages 81-89
Mutagenesis of the varicella-zoster virus genome: lessons learned....Pages 91-97
Immune evasion mechanisms of varicella-zoster virus....Pages 99-107
Pathway of viral spread in herpes zoster: detection of the protein encoded by open reading frame 63 of varicella-zoster virus in biopsy specimens....Pages 109-119
Vaccination against cytomegalovirus....Pages 121-134
Varicella zoster virus in human and rat tissue specimens....Pages 135-142
In vitro measurement of human T cell responses to varicella zoster virus antigen....Pages 143-149
Use of varicella vaccines to prevent herpes zoster in older individuals....Pages 151-160
Immunization of the elderly to boost immunity against varicella-zoster virus (VZV) as assessed by VZV skin test reaction....Pages 161-172
Varicella-zoster virus immunity and prevention: a conference perspective....Pages 173-178
Back Matter....Pages 179-184
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