Ocular varicella-zoster virus infection in the guinea pig. A new in vivo model
D. Pavan-Langston and E. C. Dunkel
Eye Research Institute of Retina Foundation, Boston, MA 02114.
Corneal intrastromal inoculation of guinea pigs with approximately 10(4)
plaque-forming units of live, adapted varicella-zoster virus (VZV) resulted
in reproducible, acute, superficial corneal disease in all animals. The
culture-positive VZV ocular infection progressed to involve 30% to 40% of
the corneal surface in a diffuse punctate keratitis and 10% to 15% of this
surface with microdendrites, characteristic of VZV-induced ocular disease.
Retrograde dissemination of VZV to the trigeminal ganglia, midbrain,
cerebellum, and superior cervical ganglia was demonstrated by whole-cell
coculture VZV recovery. Central nervous system VZV dissemination,
manifested by transient neurologic symptoms and pneumonitis, was evident in
60% of the animals. Varicella-zoster virus spread to the trigeminal
ganglion during acute and early-latent infection was evident by electron
microscopy.