Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) glycoprotein E is a serological antigen for detection of intrathecal antibodies to VZV in central nervous system infections, without cross-reaction to herpes simplex virus 1.

Abstract

Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) and varicella-zoster virus (VZV) cause serious central nervous system (CNS) diseases that are diagnosed with PCR using samples of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and, during later stages of such infections, with assays of intrathecal IgG antibody production. However, serological diagnoses have been hampered by cross-reactions between HSV-1 and VZV IgG antibodies and are commonly reported in patients with herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE). In this study we have evaluated VZV glycoprotein E (gE) as a new antigen for serological diagnosis of VZV-induced CNS infections. Paired samples of CSF and serum from 29 patients with clinical diagnosis of VZV CNS infection (n = 15) or HSE (n = 14), all confirmed by PCR, were analyzed. VZV gE and whole VZV were compared as antigens in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) for serological assays in which the CSF/serum sample pairs were diluted to identical IgG concentrations. With the gE antigen, none of the HSE patients showed intrathecal IgG antibodies against VZV, compared to those shown by 11/14 patients using whole-VZV antigen (P < 0.001). In the patients with VZV infections, significantly higher CSF/serum optical density (OD) ratios were found in the VZV patients using the VZV gE antigen compared to those found using the whole-VZV antigen (P = 0.001). These results show that gE is a sensitive antigen for serological diagnosis of VZV infections in the CNS and that this antigen was devoid of cross-reactivity to HSV-1 IgG in patients with HSE. We therefore propose that VZV gE can be used for serological discrimination of CNS infections caused by VZV and HSV-1.

• Authors: Anna Grahn, Marie Studahl, Staffan Nilsson, Elisabeth Thomsson, Malin Bäckström, Tomas Bergström
• Journal: Clinical and vaccine immunology : CVI (Clin Vaccine Immunol) Vol. 18 Issue 8 Pg. 1336-42 (Aug 2011) ISSN: 1556-679X [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 21697341 (Publication Type: Evaluation Study, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Viral
• Immunoglobulin G
• Viral Envelope Proteins
• glycoprotein E, varicella-zoster virus

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Antibodies, Viral (cerebrospinal fluid)
• Child, Preschool
• Clinical Laboratory Techniques (methods)
• Encephalitis, Varicella Zoster (diagnosis, immunology)
• Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (methods)
• Female
• Herpesvirus 1, Human (immunology)
• Herpesvirus 3, Human (immunology)
• Humans
• Immunoglobulin G (cerebrospinal fluid)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Sensitivity and Specificity
• Viral Envelope Proteins (immunology)