Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 24, 2025
12:22
A Primary Neuron Culture System for the Study of Herpes Simplex Virus Latency and Reactivation
Published on: April 2, 2012
17.5K
Prior Herpes Simplex Virus Infection and the Risk of Herpes Zoster
Ruth Harbecke1,2, Michael N Oxman1,2,3, Stacy Selke4
1Department of Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, California, USA.
The Journal of Infectious Diseases
|July 6, 2023
Summary
Prior herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection may offer protection against herpes zoster (HZ). Individuals without prior HSV infection had a significantly higher risk of developing HZ.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Immunology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Herpes zoster (HZ) incidence is rising in the US, coinciding with declining herpes simplex virus (HSV) prevalence.
- A hypothesis suggests reduced cross-immunity from HSV to varicella-zoster virus (VZV) increases HZ risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if prior HSV infection is less common in individuals who develop HZ.
- To determine if HZ severity differs between HSV-seropositive and HSV-seronegative individuals.
Main Methods:
- A nested case-control study compared HSV-1 and HSV-2 seroprevalence.
- Cases were individuals with confirmed HZ; controls were matched individuals without HZ.
Main Results:
- HSV seropositivity was found in 75% of 639 participants.
- HSV seronegativity was significantly higher in HZ cases (30.5%) versus controls (22.3%), indicating a 55% increased HZ risk.
- Prior HSV infection was linked to less severe HZ.
Conclusions:
- Prior infection with HSV provides a degree of protection against herpes zoster.
- This finding highlights the potential role of cross-reactive immunity in HZ pathogenesis.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection
12.0K
The hosts' susceptibility to infection depends on several factors. The integrity of the skin and mucous membranes helps protect the body against microbial attacks. When the skin is altered, the chance of infection, limb loss, and even death increases.
The integrity and count of the white blood cells help the body resist pathogens and fight infection. When impaired, it reduces the body's resistance to pathogens. The acidic pH levels of the gastrointestinal, genitourinary tracts, and skin...
The integrity and count of the white blood cells help the body resist pathogens and fight infection. When impaired, it reduces the body's resistance to pathogens. The acidic pH levels of the gastrointestinal, genitourinary tracts, and skin...
12.0K
01:23Immunological Memory
687
Immunological memory, a pivotal pillar of the adaptive immune system, is responsible for the body's ability to remember and respond more swiftly and effectively to previously encountered pathogens. This remarkable feature is what makes vaccines so effective in preventing diseases.
What is Immunological Memory?
Immunological memory is an integral function of the immune system that allows it to recognize and react more rapidly and effectively to pathogens previously encountered. This feature...
What is Immunological Memory?
Immunological memory is an integral function of the immune system that allows it to recognize and react more rapidly and effectively to pathogens previously encountered. This feature...
687
01:03Rous Sarcoma Virus (RSV) and Cancer
5.1K
Rous Sarcoma virus or RSV was discovered by F. Peyton Rous in the year 1911 as a filterable transmissible agent that could cause tumors in chickens. He won a Nobel Prize for this discovery in 1966. His experiments clearly demonstrated that some cancers could be caused by infectious agents and led to the discovery of many more cancer-causing viruses in animals as well as humans.
RSV is a retrovirus that contains two copies of a plus-strand RNA genome. Its genome consists of four main open...
RSV is a retrovirus that contains two copies of a plus-strand RNA genome. Its genome consists of four main open...
5.1K
01:12Relative Risk
233
Relative risk (RR) is a statistical measure commonly used in epidemiology to compare the likelihood of a particular event occurring between two groups. This metric is important for evaluating the relationship between exposure to a specific risk factor and the probability of a particular outcome. It plays a crucial role in medical research, public health studies, and risk assessment. Relative risk quantifies how much more (or less) likely an event is to occur in an exposed group compared to an...
233
01:51Vaccinations
44.8K
Overview
44.8K
01:51Mechanisms of Retrovirus-induced Cancers
5.1K
Retroviruses are RNA viruses that have been shown to cause cancers in diverse species, including chickens, mice, cats, and monkeys. The RNA genomes of these viruses are first reverse-transcribed into single and then double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) copies. This dsDNA called proviral DNA then integrates into the host genome. Subsequently, the host cell transcribes the proviral DNA in concert with the chromosomal DNA. This leads to the production of viral RNA and proteins that assemble at the host...
5.1K