The viruses of Herpes Simplex Virus 1 (HSV-1), Herpes Simplex Virus 2 (HSV-2) and Varicella-Zoster virus (VZV) which belong to the alpha herpes subfamily are important human pathogens. When eruptions were not fully developed from these viral infections, clinical diagnosis was not always easy and required virological confirmation test. The above viruses were reactivated in individuals who were compromised in immune competence for one reason or another. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) enables rapid and sensitive detection of HSV and VZV DNAs. Its sensitivity was largely influenced by choice of primers. Authors conducted a study to detect of those three viruses in human specimens including vesicle fluid and joint fluid and serum using PCR methods. Primers used for this study were the general primer pair GPHV-RU which was known to amplify within the genes enjoying the highest degree of homology between UL15 of HSV and UL42 of VZV. PCR with primers hybridized pair GPHV-RU amplifies a 396 bp with HSV-1 and HSV-2 standard stain DNA and 405 bp with VZV standard strain DNA. Restriction enzyme cleavage with HpaII and DdeI were used to detect and distinguish DNAs of HSV-1 and HSV-2 and VZV. The purpose of this study was a rapid and easy detection of VZV and HSV-1 or HSV-2 from various clinical specimens (vesicle fluid, serum and joint fluid) by PCR method. Used methods were: HSV PCR with primer 1, 2 and HpaII RE digestion; VZV nested PCR; HSV PCR with primer A, B and BssHII RE digestion. 1) In 33 cases (33/42, 78.6%) VZV was detected single or mixed infection from 42 clinical specimens which included vesicle fluid (5), serum from respiratory infected children (10), serum from immune suppressed adult cancer patients (7) and joint fluid from arthritis patients (20). 2) In 20 cases (20/42, 42.6%) HSV was detected singly or mixed infection and 19 of the cases were HSV-2 and 1 case was HSV-1. 3) In 19 cases (19/42, 45.2%) VZV was singly detected which included serum from respiratory infected children (6 cases), joint fluid from arthritis patients (9 cases), vesicle fluid (2 cases) and serum form immunosuppressed cancer patients (2 cases). 4) HSV was singly detected in 6 cases (6/42, 14.3%) which included joint fluid from arthritis patients (5 cases) and serum form respiratory infected children (1 cases). 5) 14 cases of VZV and HSV mixed infection (14/42, 33.3%) were detected. They included vesicle fluid (3 cases), serum form immunosuppressed cancer patients (4 cases), serum from respiratory infected children (2 cases) and joint fluid from arthritis patients (5 cases). 6) HSV-1 and HSV-2 detection and typing by HSV PCR with primer A, B and BssHII RE digestion method was more sensitive and the results were easier to detect than on other method.
Adult ; Arthritis ; Child ; Coinfection ; Diagnosis ; Digestion ; DNA ; Herpes Simplex* ; Herpesvirus 1, Human* ; Herpesvirus 2, Human ; Herpesvirus 3, Human* ; Humans ; Joints* ; Mental Competency ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Simplexvirus*

No abstract available.
Herpesviridae* ; Herpesvirus 7, Human ; Herpesvirus 8, Human ; Humans*

BACKGROUND: Herpes simplex virus(HSV) infections are very common viral illnesses in dermatology and they have shown a tendency to increase in prevalence and incidence, and they would seem to have become more prevalent recently. This has resulted in an increased need for the rapid diagnosis of these infections. It has also become important to recognize the types of HSV in the clinical setting, because the two types differ in their natural histories and prognoses. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to detect and type HSV DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). We investigated the relationship between the clinical manifestations and type using PCR. METHODS: The study population consisted of 40 cases of HSV infections and 10 cases of varicella-zoster virus infections as negative controls. We used a pair of primers designated by Sakaoka et. al and performed restriction analysis after PCR. RESULTS: No specific amplification was observed using the varicella-zoster virus. A total of 40 patients were examined by PCR and 28 were positive. Of 17 patients with lesions which developed above the umbilicus, l0 were positive. Out of 8 patients with lesions below the umbilicus, 5 were positive. Virus genomes were detected in the 13 out of 15 patients with eczema herpeticum. CONCLUSION: The method used in this study is useful in differentiating HSV-1 from HSV-2 in fections. These data suggest that the PCR results were nearly consistent with the clinical manifestations.
Dermatology ; Diagnosis ; DNA ; Genome ; Herpes Simplex* ; Herpesvirus 1, Human ; Herpesvirus 2, Human ; Herpesvirus 3, Human ; Humans ; Incidence ; Kaposi Varicelliform Eruption ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Prevalence ; Prognosis ; Simplexvirus* ; Umbilicus

BACKGROUND: Herpes simplex virus(HSV) infections are very common viral illnesses in dermatology and they have shown a tendency to increase in prevalence and incidence, and they would seem to have become more prevalent recently. This has resulted in an increased need for the rapid diagnosis of these infections. It has also become important to recognize the types of HSV in the clinical setting, because the two types differ in their natural histories and prognoses. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to detect and type HSV DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). We investigated the relationship between the clinical manifestations and type using PCR. METHODS: The study population consisted of 40 cases of HSV infections and 10 cases of varicella-zoster virus infections as negative controls. We used a pair of primers designated by Sakaoka et. al and performed restriction analysis after PCR. RESULTS: No specific amplification was observed using the varicella-zoster virus. A total of 40 patients were examined by PCR and 28 were positive. Of 17 patients with lesions which developed above the umbilicus, l0 were positive. Out of 8 patients with lesions below the umbilicus, 5 were positive. Virus genomes were detected in the 13 out of 15 patients with eczema herpeticum. CONCLUSION: The method used in this study is useful in differentiating HSV-1 from HSV-2 in fections. These data suggest that the PCR results were nearly consistent with the clinical manifestations.
Dermatology ; Diagnosis ; DNA ; Genome ; Herpes Simplex* ; Herpesvirus 1, Human ; Herpesvirus 2, Human ; Herpesvirus 3, Human ; Humans ; Incidence ; Kaposi Varicelliform Eruption ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Prevalence ; Prognosis ; Simplexvirus* ; Umbilicus

BACKGROUND: Nursing students may be exposed to patients with infectious diseases such as hepatitis B and hepatitis A through needle stick injuries or close contact during their clinical practice. This study surveyed the presence of antihepatitis B virus (anti-HBV), anti-hepatitis A virus (anti-HAV), and anti-varicella zoster virus antibodies in nursing students before the initiation of their clinical practice to help prevent subsequent infections. METHODS: From 2009 to 2013, the junior students of a nursing college in Jeollabuk-do were tested for antibodies against the hepatitis B, hepatitis A, and varicella zoster viruses before the initiation of their clinical practice. RESULTS: The students tested positive for anti-HBV (46.2-57.1%), anti-HAV (0-10.5%), and anti-varicella zoster antibodies (80.2-90.2%). No significant differences in the positivity rates were observed with respect to the year of their enrollment. CONCLUSION: This study was a survey of the seroprevalence of anti-HBV, anti-HAV, and anti-varicella zoster antibodies in nursing students before they started their clinical practice. The positivity rate of anti-HAV was lower than 10%. In order to prevent infection, it is necessary to test nursing students for the presence of antibodies against hepatitis B, hepatitis A, varicella, measles, mumps, and rubella, and check their vaccination history as recommended in the adult immunization schedule. Vaccination must be recommended for students who test negative for the respective antibodies.
Adult ; Antibodies* ; Chickenpox ; Communicable Diseases ; Hepatitis A ; Hepatitis A Antibodies ; Hepatitis B ; Hepatitis B Antibodies ; Herpes Zoster* ; Herpesvirus 1, Cercopithecine* ; Herpesvirus 3, Human ; Humans ; Immunization Schedule ; Jeollabuk-do ; Measles ; Mumps ; Needlestick Injuries ; Nursing* ; Rubella ; Seroepidemiologic Studies* ; Students, Nursing* ; Vaccination

A putative gamma herpesvirus, termed human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8), discovered in recent years, has been implicated as a possible etiologic agent for Kaposi`s sarcoma (KS). In South Korea, the incidence of KS in HIV seropositive individuals is very low. The cause of its rarity as compared with other countries is unclear. The objective of this study was performed to determine the prevalence of infection with HHV-8 and to clarify the cause of low incidence of KS in Korean populations including HIV seropositive individuals. The study population was composed of 200 blood donors, 220 voluntary visitors for sexual transmitted infection (STI)-testing in the public health centers, and 214 HIV-seropositive individuals. For the detection of HHV-8 antibodies, all blood samples were tested using Advanced Biotechnologies Inc`s enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits and the reactive samples were retested using Biotrin International SARL`s immunofluorescent assay (IFA). Also, we investigated the seroprevalence of Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Varicella-Zoster virus (VZV) and Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) in order to get more information of HHV-8 and other human herpesviruses transmission in Korea. The prevalence of specific IgG to HHV-8 among HIV seropositive individuals was 7.0% {95% confidential interval: 4.0-11.3%}. The specific antibody to HHV-8 could be detected only in HIV seropositive men. The prevalences of antibodies to other human herpesviruses unlike HHV-8 were very high even in blood donors. These observations strongly suggest that the rarity of KS in this country may be caused by very low prevalence of HHV-8.
Antibodies ; Biotechnology ; Blood Donors ; Cytomegalovirus ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Herpesviridae ; Herpesvirus 3, Human ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; Herpesvirus 8, Human* ; HIV ; Humans* ; Immunoglobulin G ; Incidence ; Korea* ; Male ; Prevalence ; Public Health ; Sarcoma* ; Sarcoma, Kaposi ; Seroepidemiologic Studies*

No abstract available.
Antiviral Agents* ; Herpes Simplex* ; Herpesvirus 1, Human* ; Simplexvirus*

No abstract available.
Chickenpox* ; Herpes Simplex* ; Herpesvirus 3, Human* ; Simplexvirus* ; Transplantation*

No abstract available.
Chickenpox* ; Herpes Simplex* ; Herpesvirus 3, Human* ; Simplexvirus* ; Transplantation*

To investigate the genetic characteristics of human influenza type B viruses circulating in Chungbuk province, Korea, we tested 510 clinical samples of nasopharyngeal suction from pediatric patients diagnosed with respiratory illness between June 2007 and June 2008. Twelve out of thirty-six isolates were identified as type B influenza virus by RT-PCR and sequencing analysis. Interestingly, genetic characterization of type B viruses isolated in this study revealed that all type B influenza viruses were the Yamagata lineages, a vaccine strains of southern hemisphere during 2007~2008, rather than the Victoria lineage of northern hemisphere during 2007~2008. Furthermore, there were a total of twelve unique mutations (HA: H40Y, D/G230S, V252M and K272R and NA: P3H, P/T/S42Q, N59S) occurred in our type B isolates. These results suggest that relative high prevalence of type B viruses in Korea during 2007~2008 season might be due to the wrong vaccine strains selection. Taken together, the results of this study demonstrate continuous evolutions of human type B viruses by antigenic drift and also highlight the need to closely monitoring of influenza viruses to aid the early detection of potentially pandemic strains as well as underscore the need for new therapeutics.
Herpesvirus 1, Cercopithecine ; Humans ; Influenza B virus ; Influenza, Human ; Korea ; Orthomyxoviridae ; Pandemics ; Prevalence ; Seasons ; Suction ; Victoria