TABLE 1.

VZV PCR of separated neurons and satellite cells

Specimena	Age (yr)/sexb	Cause of death	Time from death to autopsy (h)g	Results for:
				Neurons				Satellite cells
				No. of tubes testedd	No. of cells tested	No. positive	Latent % of fractionh	No. of tubes tested	Total no. of clumps	Total no. of cellse	No. positive
HG-70	71/M	CHFc	6	2	26	1	3.8	13	46	2,484	0
HG-76	90/F	Pneumonia	3	34	340	4	1.2	18	38	2,052	0
HG-79	49/F	Carcinoma	14	22	220	6	2.7	18	90	4,860	0
HG-82	85/M	Lymphoma	16	22	220	2	0.9	6	30	1,620	0
HG-83	64/M	Alzheimer's	Unknown	12	120	1	0.8		NDf
HG-88	66/M	Chronic leukemia	15	18	180	3	1.7	18	90	4,860	0
HG-91	72/M	Peritonitis	21	22	220	3	1.4	18	90	4,860	0
HG-93	28/M	Lymphoma	18	18	180	4	2.2		ND
HG-95	66/F	CHF	6	18	180	2	1.1		ND
HG-97	44/M	Cystic fibrosis	22	18	180	3	1.7		ND
HG-100	59/M	CHF/diabetes	16	18	180	3	1.7		ND
HG-101	61/M	Chronic leukemia	20	18	180	2	1.1		ND
Total				222	2,226	34		91	384	20,736	0

^aA fragment of each ganglion was demonstrated by PCR to contain VZV DNA prior to cell separation. Serum from each autopsy contained VZV-specific antibody.

^bNumbers indicate age at death (average, 62.9 years). M, male; F, female.

^cCHF, congestive heart failure.

^dContained 10 neurons per tube except for HG-70 (10 and 16 cells).

^eEach clump of satellite cells contained a mean of 54 cells (21).

^fND, not done.

^gAverage, 14.3 h.

^hAverage ± standard deviation, 1.7% ± 0.86%.