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Excerpt
Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) reactivation causes facial nerve disorder in both Ramsay Hunt syndrome (RHS) and zoster sine herpete (ZSH). However, no study has analyzed the difference in virological background between the two diseases. The present study analyzed the VZV DNA copy number in saliva samples to find differences in the viral load between the two diseases.
Patients & methods
Saliva samples from 25 patients with RHS and 31 patients with ZSH were examined. The VZV DNA copy number was measured by a TaqMan PCR assay.
Results
The VZV load in saliva peaked near the day of the appearance of zoster in patients with RHS; however, VZV DNA was less frequently detected in patients with RHS who exhibited facial palsy several days after the appearance of zoster. VZV DNA was equally detected in saliva from patients with RHS and ZSH. There was no significant difference in the highest viral copy number between patients with RHS and those with ZSH.
Conclusions
The VZV load in saliva reflects the kinetics of viral reactivation in patients with RHS and ZSH. However, our observations seem to rule out the viral load as the major cause of differences between RHS and ZSH.
