Simian varicella virus expresses a latency-associated transcript that is antisense to open reading frame 61 (ICP0) mRNA in neural ganglia of latently infected monkeys.

ABSTRACT: Simian varicella virus (SVV) and varicella-zoster virus (VZV) are closely related alphaherpesviruses that cause varicella (chickenpox) in nonhuman primates and humans, respectively. After resolution of the primary disease, SVV and VZV establish latent infection of neural ganglia and may later reactivate to cause a secondary disease (herpes zoster). This study investigated SVV gene expression in neural ganglia derived from latently infected vervet monkeys. SVV transcripts were detected in neural ganglia, but not in liver or lung tissues, of latently infected animals. A transcript mapping to open reading frame (ORF) 61 (herpes simplex virus type 1 [HSV-1] ICP0 homolog) was consistently detected in latently infected trigeminal, cervical, and lumbar ganglia by reverse transcriptase PCR. Furthe

SUBMITTER: Ou Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1951321 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature