Varicella-zoster Virus, 2010 Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology Series, Vol. 342

Varicella-zoster virus is a common human pathogen that causes varicella (chickenpox), establishes latency in sensory nerve ganglia and can reactivate many years later as herpes zoster. VZV is the only human herpesvirus for which vaccines to prevent both primary and recurrent infection are approved and VZV vaccines have had significant public health benefits. These achievements and new directions that are unfolding are described in this review of VZV basic and clinical research

The VZV Genome, Replication and Effects on Host Cell Cycle Regulation.- The Varicella-Zoster Virus Genome.- VZV Molecular Epidemiology.- Roles of Cellular Transcription Factors in VZV Replication.- Effects of varicella-zoster virus on cell cycle regulatory pathways.- VZV Kinases.- VZV ORF66 protein kinase and its relationship to alphaherpesvirus US3 kinases.- VZV ORF 47 serine protein kinase and its viral substrates.- VZV Glycoproteins.- Overview of varicella-zoster virus glycoproteins gC, gH and gL.- Analysis of the function of glycoproteins E and I and their promoters during VZV replication in virto and in skin and T cell xenografts in the SCID mouse model of VZV pathogenesis.- Varicella-zoster virus glycoprotein M.- VZV Tropism for Cells of the Immune System and Skin.- Varicella Zoster Virus Immune Evasion Strategies.- VZV Infection of Keratinocytes: Production of Cell-Free Infectious Virions in vivo.- Varicella-Zoster Virus T cell Tropism and the Pathogenesis of Skin Infection.- Experimental models to study varicella zoster virus infection of neurons.- VZV Neurotropism, Latency and Reactivation.- Molecular Characterization of Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV) in Latently Infected Human Ganglia: Physical State and Abundance of VZV DNA, Quantitation of Viral Transcripts and Detection of VZV-Specific Proteins.- Neurological Disease Produced by Varicella Zoster Virus Reactivation without Rash.- VZV neurotropism in SCID mouse-human DRG xenografts.- Rodent Models of Varicella-zoster virus neurotropism.- Siminan Varicella Virus.- Simian Varicella Virus: Molecular Virology.- Simian Varicella Virus Pathogenesis.- VZV Vaccines.- VZV Vaccine: Molecular genetics.- VZV T Cell-Mediated Immunity.- Perspectives on Vaccines against Varicella-Zoster Virus Infections.- Subject index

Reviews basic and clinical research on Varicella-zoster Virus
Covers the only human herpesvirus approved vaccines to prevent both primary and recurrent infection
Describes the significant public health benefits of VZV vaccination