Open AccessProgressive varicella syndrome in the setting of pediatric AIDS: An eye opener
Author(s) -
S. M. Adityan,
Nandhakumar Nagarajan,
D. Amal Raja,
R. Shanmuganathan,
G. Lakshmipriya
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
indian journal of sexually transmitted diseases
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1998-3816
pISSN - 0253-7184
DOI - 10.4103/0253-7184.55481
Subject(s) - medicine , pediatrics , meningitis , varicella zoster virus , chickenpox , aciclovir , dermatology , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , antiretroviral therapy , virus , virology , viral disease , herpesviridae , viral load
Varicella zoster virus (VZV) infections are known to be atypical and severe in immunocompromised patients. An eight-year-old girl presented with extremely painful, atypical skin lesions and features of meningitis and pneumonitis. On investigation, she was found to be human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected, with very low CD4 count. A diagnosis of 'progressive varicella syndrome' was made, and the child was started on antiretroviral therapy and IV acyclovir. This resulted in a complete resolution of all the clinical features. However, the skin lesions promptly relapsed when acyclovir was withdrawn. Oral Acyclovir was started, and had to be continued to keep the disease under control.