Longitudinal study on oral shedding of herpes simplex virus 1 and varicella‐zoster virus in individuals infected with HIV. Issue 9 (18th June 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: van Velzen, Monique; Ouwendijk, Werner J.D.; Selke, Stacy; Pas, Suzan D.; van Loenen, Freek B.; Osterhaus, Albert D.M.E.; Wald, Anna; Verjans, Georges M.G.M.
• Is Part Of: Journal of medical virology. Volume 85:Issue 9(2013:Sep.)
• Page Start: 1669
• Page End: 1677
• Publication Date: 2013-06-18
• Subjects: Virology -- Periodicals; 616
• DOI: 10.1002/jmv.23634
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0146-6615

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" xml:lang="en"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="jmv23634-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <p>Primary herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV‐1) and varicella‐zoster virus (VZV) infection leads to a life‐long latent infection of ganglia innervating the oral mucosa. HSV‐1 and VZV reactivation is more common in immunocompromised individuals and may result in viral shedding in saliva. We determined the kinetics and quantity of oral HSV‐1 and VZV shedding in HSV‐1 and VZV seropositive individuals infected with HIV and to assess whether HSV‐1 shedding involves reactivation of the same strain intra‐individually. HSV‐1 and VZV shedding was determined by real‐time PCR of sequential daily oral swabs (n = 715) collected for a median period of 31 days from 22 individuals infected with HIV. HSV‐1 was genotyped by sequencing the viral thymidine kinase gene. Herpesvirus shedding was detected in 18 of 22 participants. Shedding of HSV‐1 occurred frequently, on 14.3% of days, whereas solely VZV shedding was very rare. Two participants shed VZV. The median HSV‐1 load was higher compared to VZV. HSV‐1 DNA positive swabs clustered into 34 shedding episodes with a median duration of 2 days. The prevalence, duration and viral load of herpesvirus shedding did not correlate with CD4 counts and HIV load. The genotypes of the HSV‐1 viruses shed were identical between and within shedding episodes of the same person, but were different between individuals. One‐third of the individuals shed an HSV‐1 strain potentially refractory to acyclovir therapy. Compared to HSV‐1, oral VZV shedding is rare in individuals infected with HIV. Recurrent oral HSV‐1 shedding is likely due to reactivation of the same latent HSV‐1 strain. <bold><italic>J. Med. Virol. 85:1669–1677, 2013</italic></bold>. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.</p> </sec> </abstract>