Premium
Fatal varicella‐zoster virus meningoradiculitis without skin involvement
Author(s) -
Dueland Aud N.,
Devlin Mary,
Martin John R.,
Mahalingam Ravi,
Cohrs Randall,
Manz Herbert,
Trombley Irene,
Gilden Donald
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
annals of neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.764
H-Index - 296
eISSN - 1531-8249
pISSN - 0364-5134
DOI - 10.1002/ana.410290520
Subject(s) - varicella zoster virus , medicine , chickenpox , virology , virus , pediatrics
A 77‐year‐old man with T‐cell lymphoma developed an acute fatal meningoradiculitis of cranial nerve roots and cauda equina, pathologically and virologically confirmed to be caused by varicella‐zoster virus. This is the first report of fatal varicella‐zoster virus‐induced neurological disease in the absence of skin lesions. Varicellazoster virus should be included in the differential diagnosis of acute radiculoneuropathy in the immunocompromised patient, particularly because antiviral treatment for varicella‐zoster virus exists.