Atypical varicella-zoster virus reactivation: a case report

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) commonly causes benign skin manifestations in children; it then establishes a latent infection and may reactivate, causing herpes zoster. The most common zoster complication is postherpetic neuralgia, but complications can also occur without a rash. VZV infection may cau...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Francesca Salvotti, Simone Trapletti, Giulia Chiarini, Maurizio Castellano, Maria Lorenza Muiesan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SMC MEDIA SRL 2023-08-01
Series:European Journal of Case Reports in Internal Medicine
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Online Access:https://www.ejcrim.com/index.php/EJCRIM/article/view/3945
Description
Summary:Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) commonly causes benign skin manifestations in children; it then establishes a latent infection and may reactivate, causing herpes zoster. The most common zoster complication is postherpetic neuralgia, but complications can also occur without a rash. VZV infection may cause neurological manifestations and even vasculopathy may occur, in both primary and reactivated VZV infection. Thrombotic complications are mainly described in children, while a few case reports have described cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST), deep-vein thrombosis of the lower limbs and pulmonary embolism in adults. In this article we report the case of a young woman who developed systemic thromboembolic sequelae due to a hypercoagulable state following VZV reactivation. She had deep venous lower-limb thrombosis extended to the inferior vena cava (IVC), massive pulmonary embolism and CVST. Moreover, VZV reactivation caused an acute hepatitis and clinical manifestations suggesting viral encephalitis.
ISSN:2284-2594