Varicella‐Zoster Virus in the Saliva of Patients with Herpes Zoster

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Abstract
Fifty-four patients with herpes zoster were treated with valacyclovir. On treatment days 1, 8, and 15, pain was scored and saliva examined for varicella-zoster virus (VZV) DNA. VZV DNAwas found in every patient the day treatment was started and later disappeared in 82%. There was a positive correlation between the presence of VZVDNA and pain and between VZV DNA copy number and pain (P<.0005). VZV DNA was present in 1 patient before rash and in 4 after pain resolved and was not present in any of 6 subjects with chronic pain or in 14 healthy subjects. Analysis of human saliva has potential usefulness in the diagnosis of neurological disease produced by VZV without rash.