Electron microscopic studies of herpes zoster of the skin

Five patients with herpes zoster of the skin were subjected to electron microscopic studies. These studies revealed the presence of viral particles inside the nucleus, cytoplasm and in the intercellular spaces between adjacent keratinocytes. The virions were present also in the dermis inside the cytoplasm of the capillary endothelial cells and in its lumen. The virus particles also invaded the axons of unmyelinated nerve fibres and the fibroblasts. The virus particles are surrounded by a capsid that develops a membrane on the outer surface during multiplication. Some viruses show a central small electron dense core. However, the virions present in the extracellular space showed an empty core