AI Article Synopsis

  • - The study analyzed the relationship between herpes simplex virus (HSV) and varicella zoster virus (VZV) infections and the risk of developing dementia in over 750,000 individuals aged 45 and older in South Korea from 2006 to 2017.
  • - Findings indicated that both HSV and VZV infections significantly increased dementia risk, with co-infection leading to the highest risk and a quicker onset of dementia symptoms (average 4.09 years after infection).
  • - The research also highlighted that all categories of HSV and VZV infections correlated with elevated dementia risk, affecting various types of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia.

Article Abstract

Background: In this study, the risk of dementia in patients with a history of herpes simplex virus (HSV) or varicella zoster virus (VZV) infection was evaluated.

Methods: This nationwide cohort study used data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service collected between 2006 and 2017. A total of 752,205 subjects ≥ 45 years of age not diagnosed with dementia until 2006 were included. A multivariate Cox regression model, adjusted for age, sex, and other comorbidities, was used to assess the hazard ratio (HR) for dementia based on VZV or HSV infection. The interaction effects of both viral infections were analysed. Viral infections are classified into four categories: eye, central nervous system (CNS), simple, and complicated. The hazard ratio (HR) of viral infection was analysed based on the type of dementia.

Results: In multivariable analysis, both HSV and VZV infection were associated with an increased risk of dementia (HR = 1.38, 95% confidence interval, CI:1.33-1.43) and (HR = 1.41, 95% CI:1.37-1.46), respectively. Patients who experienced both HSV and VZV infections were also at an increased risk of dementia (HR = 1.57, 95% CI:1.50-1.63). The co-infection group showed the shortest time from viral infection to dementia diagnosis (4.09 ± 3.02 years). In the subgroup analysis, all types of HSV and VZV infections were associated with an increased risk of dementia compared to the non-infection group. The eye, CNS, and complicated VZV infections were associated with a significantly higher risk than simple VZV infections. There were no significant differences between the subtypes of HSV infection. Furthermore, HSV, VSV, and co-infection were associated with an increased risk of all dementia types, including Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VD).

Conclusions: Individual HSV and VZV infections were associated with an increased risk of all types of dementia, including AD and VD. Patients co-infected with HSV and VZV, VZV infection in the eye, CNS, or complicated type were more vulnerable to the development of dementia.

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Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10935826PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13195-024-01418-7DOI Listing

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