Intrathecal humoral immune reaction in zoster infections

Intrathecal humoral immune reaction in 26 patients with a reactivation of varicella-zoster virus was analyzed. 11 suffered from ganglionitis, in 7 cases an additional affection of the lower motor neuron was demonstrable. In 8 patients, meningitis, myelitis or cerebral infarctions by zoster angiitis were diagnosed. Intrathecal immune reaction in ganglionitis was weak whereas an intense IgG synthesis became demonstrable in all meningomyelitis/cerebral infarction cases. As demonstrated by immunoblotting, in early stages of the disease immune reaction in serum and cerebrospinal fluid differed only quantitatively. In the further course, most intrathecally synthesized antibodies were directed against low molecular antigens whereas serum pattern did not change. In some patients, additional antibodies not detectable in serum were demonstrable. Though intensity markedly differed, no qualitative differences between the immune response in ganglionitis and more widespread zoster infections of the CNS were detectable.