86 patients with lymphoma were evaluated prospectively for clinical and laboratory evidence of recurrent varicella-zoster, herpes simplex, and cytomegalovirus infections during the first 16 mo of treatment. Cellular immunity to the viral antigens was measured by in vitro lymphocyte transformation and interferon production. Antibody titers and nonspecific measures of cellular immunity, including...

Antiviral treatment of herpes zoster is controversial because of uncertain benefits and relatively high costs. Most studies show that antiviral therapy lessens acute herpes zoster symptoms and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). Current clinical recommendations support antiviral treatment of severely symptomatic herpes zoster in all adults, and mild herpes zoster in those 50 or 60 years of age or old...

Herpes zoster, also known as shingles, is a distinctive clinical condition caused by the reactivation of latent varicella zoster (chickenpox) virus following an initial infection. Approximately 1 million cases of herpes zoster occur annually in the US, and one in every three people develops herpes zoster during their lifetime. Postherpetic neuralgia is a neuropathic pain syndrome characterized ...

Herpes zoster, a sequel of the reactivation of the varicella zoster virus, usually presents with cutaneous eruptions associated with intense pain and burning sensation in the affected dermatomes. Motor weakness, however, can sometimes complicate herpes zoster. In this report we present a case that had diaphragmatic motor weakness as a sequel of herpes zoster lesions in the neck.

Varicella zoster virus reactivation often occurs in the setting of impaired immunity, which is generally present in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Therapy for variceIla zoster virus infection is well established. However, it is often been forgotten that acyclovir dosage should be adjusted to renal function. We point to the problem encountered in clinical practice when ESRD patien...

Herpes zoster occurs with increased frequency in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The aim of this study was to identify and evaluate clinical and laboratory risk factors associated with development of herpes zoster in patients with SLE. A retrospective case-control study was performed in a population of patients with SLE. Patients were identified as cases if their first episode...

The anticomplement immunofluorescence (ACIF) test was compared with the fluorescent antibody-to-membrane antigen (FAMA) test for determining varicella-zoster virus antibody levels as a measure of varicella-zoster virus immunity status. The ACIF test was found to be comparable to the FAMA test in sensitivity and could be used for examining sera at low dilutions of 1:2 and 1:4. In addition, the A...

Herpes zoster is rare in healthy children, but immunocompromised persons have an increased risk of herpes zoster and severe diseases. Considering the very limited information on herpes zoster in children with cancer, we performed a nationwide population-based cohort study to estimate the incidence of herpes zoster in children with cancer and to explore the association between the 2 diseases.Dat...

Herpes zoster occurs in 10% to 20% of the general population as a result of reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) and is generally benign. It occurs more frequently in persons with cellular immunodeficiency and older age. The association between herpes zoster and HIV was confirmed early in the course of the HIV epidemic by numerous studies. Zoster was noted to precede AIDS in high-ri...

Varicella zoster virus (VZV) lies dormant in our spinal dorsal root ganglia until reactivation occurs and causes herpes zoster. VZV can spread from the to neighboring ventral cause subsequent segmental paresis. In this case report, we present of a 78-year-old female who was hospitalized after she developed right upper extremity paresis altered mental status four days eruption vesicular rash inv...