Varicella-zoster virus (VZV), a member of the herpesvirus family, is known as the causative agent of chickenpox (varicella) and shingles (zoster). In the past decades, considerable knowledge about the transmission as well as the clinical and epidemiological aspects of VZV infection has been accumulated. Nowadays effective treatment is available and a vaccine has been developed and licensed. This book provides a comprehensive overview of our current knowledge of the molecular biology and the clinical aspects of VZV. Written by international experts in the field, individual chapters cover the diagnosis, pathogenesis, therapy and epidemiology of VZV infection. In addition, recent research findings concerning the viral genome structure, the replication cycle, the mechanisms of latency and reactivation, as well as the development of new vaccines are described. Authoritative and up to date, this volume is a vital reference not only for researchers in the herpesvirus field, but also for clinical microbiologists, dermatologists, pediatricians, and physicians in general and internal medicine.