Clinical symptoms and molecular epidemiologic characteristics of varicella patients among children and adults in Ganzhou, China

Abstract Background Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is highly transmissible; however, there are limited studies in China. Methods The clinical symptoms, disease progression, and laboratory test results of varicella patients among children and adults diagnosed at Ganzhou Fifth People’s Hospital from Aug...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ting Zeng, Chao-Xian Lian, Xiao-Yi Zhang, Ping-Qing Liu, Jian Ao, Gang-Feng Zhou, Xiao-Dong Chen, Dan-Dan Huang, Dian-Gui Hu, Xin Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-02-01
Series:Virology Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12985-025-02661-6
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849723934443831296
author Ting Zeng
Chao-Xian Lian
Xiao-Yi Zhang
Ping-Qing Liu
Jian Ao
Gang-Feng Zhou
Xiao-Dong Chen
Dan-Dan Huang
Dian-Gui Hu
Xin Chen
author_facet Ting Zeng
Chao-Xian Lian
Xiao-Yi Zhang
Ping-Qing Liu
Jian Ao
Gang-Feng Zhou
Xiao-Dong Chen
Dan-Dan Huang
Dian-Gui Hu
Xin Chen
author_sort Ting Zeng
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is highly transmissible; however, there are limited studies in China. Methods The clinical symptoms, disease progression, and laboratory test results of varicella patients among children and adults diagnosed at Ganzhou Fifth People’s Hospital from August 2021 to December 2022 were analysed retrospectively. Genetic polymorphisms in the open reading frame (ORF) 22 and ORF62 fragments of VZV isolates were analysed using molecular epidemiological methods. Results Thirty-nine varicella patients were included in this study, 26 of them were children and 13 of them were adults. The incidence of discomfort and complications was significantly greater in adults than in children (P < 0.05). Four adults developed severe disease, one of whom died, with no cases of severe disease or death among children. The 32 VZV clinical isolates were all Clade 2 wild-type strains. Four variant isolates from children had eight base mutations, five of which were missense; two variant isolates from adults had four base mutations, all of which were missense. Conclusions The risk of developing severe disease or even death after VZV infection in adults was greater than that in children. There is an urgent need for more studies focusing on the differences in the pathogenicity of VZV in different age groups.
format Article
id doaj-art-32f06f2bb15b43daa2b7df4b9f6642b3
institution DOAJ
issn 1743-422X
language English
publishDate 2025-02-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series Virology Journal
spelling doaj-art-32f06f2bb15b43daa2b7df4b9f6642b32025-08-20T03:10:53ZengBMCVirology Journal1743-422X2025-02-012211810.1186/s12985-025-02661-6Clinical symptoms and molecular epidemiologic characteristics of varicella patients among children and adults in Ganzhou, ChinaTing Zeng0Chao-Xian Lian1Xiao-Yi Zhang2Ping-Qing Liu3Jian Ao4Gang-Feng Zhou5Xiao-Dong Chen6Dan-Dan Huang7Dian-Gui Hu8Xin Chen9Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Gannan Medical UniversityDepartment of Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Health Management, Gannan Medical UniversityDepartment of Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Health Management, Gannan Medical UniversityDepartment of Infectious Disease, Ganzhou Fifth People’s HospitalDepartment of Infectious Disease, Ganzhou Fifth People’s HospitalDepartment of Infectious Disease, Ganzhou Fifth People’s HospitalDepartment of Infectious Disease, Ganzhou Fifth People’s HospitalDepartment of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Gannan Medical UniversityDepartment of Infectious Disease, Ganzhou Fifth People’s HospitalDepartment of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Gannan Medical UniversityAbstract Background Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is highly transmissible; however, there are limited studies in China. Methods The clinical symptoms, disease progression, and laboratory test results of varicella patients among children and adults diagnosed at Ganzhou Fifth People’s Hospital from August 2021 to December 2022 were analysed retrospectively. Genetic polymorphisms in the open reading frame (ORF) 22 and ORF62 fragments of VZV isolates were analysed using molecular epidemiological methods. Results Thirty-nine varicella patients were included in this study, 26 of them were children and 13 of them were adults. The incidence of discomfort and complications was significantly greater in adults than in children (P < 0.05). Four adults developed severe disease, one of whom died, with no cases of severe disease or death among children. The 32 VZV clinical isolates were all Clade 2 wild-type strains. Four variant isolates from children had eight base mutations, five of which were missense; two variant isolates from adults had four base mutations, all of which were missense. Conclusions The risk of developing severe disease or even death after VZV infection in adults was greater than that in children. There is an urgent need for more studies focusing on the differences in the pathogenicity of VZV in different age groups.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12985-025-02661-6Age groupComplicationGanzhouGenotypeVaricella-Zoster virus
spellingShingle Ting Zeng
Chao-Xian Lian
Xiao-Yi Zhang
Ping-Qing Liu
Jian Ao
Gang-Feng Zhou
Xiao-Dong Chen
Dan-Dan Huang
Dian-Gui Hu
Xin Chen
Clinical symptoms and molecular epidemiologic characteristics of varicella patients among children and adults in Ganzhou, China
Virology Journal
Age group
Complication
Ganzhou
Genotype
Varicella-Zoster virus
title Clinical symptoms and molecular epidemiologic characteristics of varicella patients among children and adults in Ganzhou, China
title_full Clinical symptoms and molecular epidemiologic characteristics of varicella patients among children and adults in Ganzhou, China
title_fullStr Clinical symptoms and molecular epidemiologic characteristics of varicella patients among children and adults in Ganzhou, China
title_full_unstemmed Clinical symptoms and molecular epidemiologic characteristics of varicella patients among children and adults in Ganzhou, China
title_short Clinical symptoms and molecular epidemiologic characteristics of varicella patients among children and adults in Ganzhou, China
title_sort clinical symptoms and molecular epidemiologic characteristics of varicella patients among children and adults in ganzhou china
topic Age group
Complication
Ganzhou
Genotype
Varicella-Zoster virus
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12985-025-02661-6
work_keys_str_mv AT tingzeng clinicalsymptomsandmolecularepidemiologiccharacteristicsofvaricellapatientsamongchildrenandadultsinganzhouchina
AT chaoxianlian clinicalsymptomsandmolecularepidemiologiccharacteristicsofvaricellapatientsamongchildrenandadultsinganzhouchina
AT xiaoyizhang clinicalsymptomsandmolecularepidemiologiccharacteristicsofvaricellapatientsamongchildrenandadultsinganzhouchina
AT pingqingliu clinicalsymptomsandmolecularepidemiologiccharacteristicsofvaricellapatientsamongchildrenandadultsinganzhouchina
AT jianao clinicalsymptomsandmolecularepidemiologiccharacteristicsofvaricellapatientsamongchildrenandadultsinganzhouchina
AT gangfengzhou clinicalsymptomsandmolecularepidemiologiccharacteristicsofvaricellapatientsamongchildrenandadultsinganzhouchina
AT xiaodongchen clinicalsymptomsandmolecularepidemiologiccharacteristicsofvaricellapatientsamongchildrenandadultsinganzhouchina
AT dandanhuang clinicalsymptomsandmolecularepidemiologiccharacteristicsofvaricellapatientsamongchildrenandadultsinganzhouchina
AT dianguihu clinicalsymptomsandmolecularepidemiologiccharacteristicsofvaricellapatientsamongchildrenandadultsinganzhouchina
AT xinchen clinicalsymptomsandmolecularepidemiologiccharacteristicsofvaricellapatientsamongchildrenandadultsinganzhouchina