Varicella-zoster virus expression in the cerebral arteries of diabetic subjects.

Primary varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infection causes varicella (chickenpox), after which VZV becomes latent in ganglionic neurons along the entire neuraxis. A decline in cell-mediated immunity to VZV in elderly and immunocompromised individuals results in zoster (shingles). Within the first year after herpes zoster, there is a 30% increased risk of stroke.1–2 Approximately one-third of patients with VZV vasculopathy do not have zoster rash and diabetic patients are at greater risk for both zoster3 and stroke; therefore, we examined the cerebral arteries of 4 diabetic subjects for the presence of VZV DNA and antigen.