Rapid molecular discrimination between infection with wild-type varicella-zoster virus and varicella vaccine virus

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infection is immunocompromised patients may cause life-threatening complications. Prevention measures include administration of VZV immuloglobulin, acyclovir and live attenuated varicella vaccine. After vaccination, a mild varicella-like exanthem appears in up to 5% of v...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Infection 2002-10, Vol.30 (5), p.320-322
Main Authors: LÄSSKER, U, HARDER, T. C, HUFNAGEL, M, SUTTORP, M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
Brain Neoplasms - diagnosis
Brain Neoplasms - immunology
Chickenpox - diagnosis
Chickenpox Vaccine - administration & dosage
Chickenpox Vaccine - adverse effects
Child, Preschool
Diagnosis, Differential
DNA, Viral - analysis
Ependymoma - diagnosis
Ependymoma - immunology
Female
Herpes Zoster - diagnosis
Herpesvirus 3, Human - isolation & purification
Human viral diseases
Humans
Immunocompromised Host
Infectious diseases
Medical sciences
Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - diagnosis
Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - immunology
Polymerase Chain Reaction - methods
Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length
Prevention
Risk Assessment
Vaccination - adverse effects
Vaccines
Viral diseases
Viral diseases of the lymphoid tissue and the blood. Aids
Viral diseases with cutaneous or mucosal lesions and viral diseases of the eye
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Description
Summary:Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infection is immunocompromised patients may cause life-threatening complications. Prevention measures include administration of VZV immuloglobulin, acyclovir and live attenuated varicella vaccine. After vaccination, a mild varicella-like exanthem appears in up to 5% of vaccinees. Morphologically this exanthem cannot be differentiated from wild-type (wt) varicella. The risk of virus transmission after varicella vaccination, in contrast to wt varicella, is low, even in immunocompromised patients. We report on a 2-year-old girl with relapse of cereral anaplastic ependymoma, who received one dose of varicella vaccine. Two weeks later, a maculopapular rash developed while she was an inpatient on the oncology ward. Using VZV-specific PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis, we were able to diagnose wt varicella infection. Thus, appropriate prevention measures (VZV immunoglobulin and acyclovir) were justified for close contacts to prevent virus transmission. No secondary cases occurred.
ISSN:0300-8126
1439-0973
DOI:10.1007/s15010-002-2158-2