BIOMAT Database Logo BIOMAT Database Logo

Development of resistance to acyclovir during chronic infection with the Oka vaccine strain of varicella-zoster virus, in an immunosuppressed child. 2003

Myron J Levin, and Karen M Dahl, and Adriana Weinberg, and Roger Giller, and Amita Patel, and Philip R Krause
Section of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, Colorado 80262, USA. myron.levin@uchsc.edu

A 1-year-old boy was vaccinated with the Oka strain of varicella just prior to the discovery of a tumor that required intensive antitumor therapy. Three months later he developed herpes zoster, which developed into chronic verrucous lesions that were refractory to treatment with acyclovir and which subsequently disseminated. DNA from a biopsy specimen of a chronic herpes-zoster lesion indicated that the Oka vaccine strain of the the virus caused this severe complication. Analysis of this viral DNA demonstrated a mutation in the viral thymidine kinase gene. Plasmids containing this altered gene were unable to produce functional thymidine kinase in an in vitro translation system. The presence of this mutation would explain the clinical resistance to acyclovir. This is the first report of Oka-strain varicella virus causing severe disease after reactivation and of resistance to acyclovir during an infection caused by this virus.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007223 Infant A child between 1 and 23 months of age. Infants
D008297 Male Males
D009447 Neuroblastoma A common neoplasm of early childhood arising from neural crest cells in the sympathetic nervous system, and characterized by diverse clinical behavior, ranging from spontaneous remission to rapid metastatic progression and death. This tumor is the most common intraabdominal malignancy of childhood, but it may also arise from thorax, neck, or rarely occur in the central nervous system. Histologic features include uniform round cells with hyperchromatic nuclei arranged in nests and separated by fibrovascular septa. Neuroblastomas may be associated with the opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome. (From DeVita et al., Cancer: Principles and Practice of Oncology, 5th ed, pp2099-2101; Curr Opin Oncol 1998 Jan;10(1):43-51) Neuroblastomas
D012150 Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length Variation occurring within a species in the presence or length of DNA fragment generated by a specific endonuclease at a specific site in the genome. Such variations are generated by mutations that create or abolish recognition sites for these enzymes or change the length of the fragment. RFLP,Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism,RFLPs,Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms
D004279 DNA, Viral Deoxyribonucleic acid that makes up the genetic material of viruses. Viral DNA
D006562 Herpes Zoster An acute infectious, usually self-limited, disease believed to represent activation of latent varicella-zoster virus (HERPESVIRUS 3, HUMAN) in those who have been rendered partially immune after a previous attack of CHICKENPOX. It involves the SENSORY GANGLIA and their areas of innervation and is characterized by severe neuralgic pain along the distribution of the affected nerve and crops of clustered vesicles over the area. (From Dorland, 27th ed) Shingles,Zona,Zoster
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000008 Abdominal Neoplasms New abnormal growth of tissue in the ABDOMEN. Abdominal Neoplasm,Neoplasm, Abdominal,Neoplasms, Abdominal
D000212 Acyclovir A GUANOSINE analog that acts as an antimetabolite. Viruses are especially susceptible. Used especially against herpes. Acycloguanosine,9-((2-Hydroxyethoxy)methyl)guanine,Aci-Sanorania,Acic,Aciclobeta,Aciclostad,Aciclovir,Aciclovir Alonga,Aciclovir-Sanorania,Acifur,Acipen Solutab,Acivir,Activir,Acyclo-V,Acyclovir Sodium,Antiherpes Creme,Avirax,Cicloferon,Clonorax,Cusiviral,Genvir,Herpetad,Herpofug,Herpotern,Herpoviric,Isavir,Laciken,Mapox,Maynar,Milavir,Opthavir,Supraviran,Viclovir,Vipral,Virax-Puren,Virherpes,Virmen,Virolex,Virupos,Virzin,Wellcome-248U,Zoliparin,Zovirax,Zyclir,aciclovir von ct,Aci Sanorania,Aciclovir Sanorania,Acyclo V,Alonga, Aciclovir,Sodium, Acyclovir,Solutab, Acipen,Virax Puren,ViraxPuren,Wellcome 248U,Wellcome248U
D000998 Antiviral Agents Agents used in the prophylaxis or therapy of VIRUS DISEASES. Some of the ways they may act include preventing viral replication by inhibiting viral DNA polymerase; binding to specific cell-surface receptors and inhibiting viral penetration or uncoating; inhibiting viral protein synthesis; or blocking late stages of virus assembly. Antiviral,Antiviral Agent,Antiviral Drug,Antivirals,Antiviral Drugs,Agent, Antiviral,Agents, Antiviral,Drug, Antiviral,Drugs, Antiviral

Related Publications

Myron J Levin, and Karen M Dahl, and Adriana Weinberg, and Roger Giller, and Amita Patel, and Philip R Krause
Herpes zoster due to Oka vaccine strain of varicella zoster virus in an immunosuppressed child post cord blood transplant.
October 2007, Journal of paediatrics and child health,
Myron J Levin, and Karen M Dahl, and Adriana Weinberg, and Roger Giller, and Amita Patel, and Philip R Krause
Molecular analysis of the Oka vaccine strain of varicella-zoster virus.
March 2008, The Journal of infectious diseases,
Myron J Levin, and Karen M Dahl, and Adriana Weinberg, and Roger Giller, and Amita Patel, and Philip R Krause
[Varicella-zoster virus infections in the immunosuppressed child. Treatment with Acyclovir and controls].
February 1983, Archives francaises de pediatrie,
Myron J Levin, and Karen M Dahl, and Adriana Weinberg, and Roger Giller, and Amita Patel, and Philip R Krause
[Acyclovir therapy of varicella-zoster virus infections in the immunosuppressed children ].
June 1982, Pathologie-biologie,
Myron J Levin, and Karen M Dahl, and Adriana Weinberg, and Roger Giller, and Amita Patel, and Philip R Krause
Immune response to varicella-zoster virus glycoproteins in guinea pigs infected with Oka varicella vaccine.
August 1998, Vaccine,
Myron J Levin, and Karen M Dahl, and Adriana Weinberg, and Roger Giller, and Amita Patel, and Philip R Krause
Continuous varicella-zoster infection associated with acyclovir resistance in a child with AIDS.
November 1988, JAMA,
Myron J Levin, and Karen M Dahl, and Adriana Weinberg, and Roger Giller, and Amita Patel, and Philip R Krause
Comparison of virus transcription during lytic infection of the Oka parental and vaccine strains of Varicella-Zoster virus.
March 2006, Journal of virology,
Myron J Levin, and Karen M Dahl, and Adriana Weinberg, and Roger Giller, and Amita Patel, and Philip R Krause
Attenuation and laboratory markers of the Oka-strain varicella-zoster virus.
January 1985, Postgraduate medical journal,
Myron J Levin, and Karen M Dahl, and Adriana Weinberg, and Roger Giller, and Amita Patel, and Philip R Krause
Molecular characterisation of varicella-zoster virus strains in Germany and differentiation from the Oka vaccine strain.
October 2003, Journal of medical virology,
Myron J Levin, and Karen M Dahl, and Adriana Weinberg, and Roger Giller, and Amita Patel, and Philip R Krause
In vitro selection of drug-resistant varicella-zoster virus (VZV) mutants (OKA strain): differences between acyclovir and penciclovir?
March 2004, Antiviral research,
Copied contents to your clipboard!