Volume 21, Number 4—April 2015
Etymologia
Etymologia: Varicella Zoster Virus
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Figure. Legend: Electron micrograph showing varicella zoster virus.
A member of the family Herpesviridae, varicella zoster virus (VZV) is named for the 2 main diseases (chickenpox and herpes zoster [shingles]) it causes. Varicella (Figure) may be a diminutive of “variola” because it was considered a mild form of smallpox. “Variola” was coined by Rudolph Augustin Vogel in 1764 and is possibly derived from the Latin varus (“pimple”) or varius (“speckled”). Herpes zoster derives from the Greek terms herpein (“to creep”) and zoster (“belt”). Not until the twentieth century was VZV recognized as the cause of both these diseases.
References
- Lustig R. Dictionary of medical terminology [in Italian]. Milan: Società Editrice Libraria; 1927. p. 495.
- Weller TH. Historical perspective. In: Arvin AM, Gershon AA, editors. Varicella-zoster virus: virology and clinical management. Cambridge (UK): Cambridge University Press; 2000. p. 9–24.
- Weller TH. Varicella: historical perspective and clinical overview. J Infect Dis. 1996;174(Suppl 3):S306–9 . DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar
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Page created: March 17, 2015
Page updated: March 17, 2015
Page reviewed: March 17, 2015
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