VZV in the Enteric Nervous System: Pathogenesis and Consequences

Varicella zoster virus (VZV) is the cause of chickenpox and shingles, but it also infects, becomes latent, and reactivates in nerve cells of the bowel to cause a gastrointestinal disorder ("enteric shingles"). The Investigators recently found that a chronic active VZV infection, a form of enteric shingles, is associated with achalasia, a severe disease in which the passage of food from esophagus to stomach is impaired. We now propose to eradicate VZV to determine whether its association with achalasia is causal, to identify the genetic basis behind VZV reactivation in the esophagus, and the relationship of mast cells to enteric shingles and abdominal pain.

NCT Number	NCT05550194
Lead Sponsor	Vanderbilt University Medical Center Collaborators: Columbia University
Conditions	Achalasia
Enrollment	40 participants
Start Date	2023-03-27
Primary Completion	2026-08 (estimated)
Study Completion	2026-08 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2026-05-27