VZV in the Enteric Nervous System: Pathogenesis and Consequences
Status:
Not yet recruiting
Trial end date:
2026-08-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Varicella zoster virus (VZV) is the cause of chickenpox and shingles, but it also infects,
becomes latent, and reactivates in nerve cells of the bowel to cause a gastrointestinal
disorder ("enteric shingles"). The Investigators recently found that a chronic active VZV
infection, a form of enteric shingles, is associated with achalasia, a severe disease in
which the passage of food from esophagus to stomach is impaired. We now propose to eradicate
VZV to determine whether its association with achalasia is causal, to identify the genetic
basis behind VZV reactivation in the esophagus, and the relationship of mast cells to enteric
shingles and abdominal pain.