Varicella zoster virus and the central nervous system - PubMed
4 hours ago
- #Herpes zoster vaccination
- #Varicella zoster virus
- #Central nervous system
- Varicella zoster virus (VZV) causes chickenpox (varicella) and can remain latent in neural ganglia.
- VZV reactivation leads to shingles (herpes zoster) and may affect the central nervous system (CNS).
- Epidemiological studies link VZV reactivation with stroke and potential associations with dementia.
- Recent studies suggest herpes zoster vaccination may reduce risks of cardiovascular events and dementia.
- The review discusses VZV physiology, immunity, and methodological challenges in current research.
- Future investigations are needed to confirm VZV's link with CNS conditions for actionable medical insights.
- Public health implications of VZV-CNS connections are highlighted for healthy aging.