Varicella-Zoster Virus: A Case of Encephalitis.

case report central nervous system infection diplopia encephalitis human immunodeficiency virus varicella-zoster virus

Journal

Cureus
ISSN: 2168-8184
Titre abrégé: Cureus
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 101596737

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
Sep 2023
Historique:
accepted: 13 09 2023
medline: 18 10 2023
pubmed: 18 10 2023
entrez: 18 10 2023
Statut: epublish

Résumé

Infection with the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is very common worldwide and is one of the main causes of infectious encephalitis. Immunosuppressed patients are at increased risk of severe disease and central nervous system (CNS) involvement. We report the case of a 43-year-old man with HIV infection and poor adherence to antiretroviral therapy who presented to the emergency department (ER) with complaints of diplopia and a frontal headache, referring to having a child with chickenpox. Brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed three hyperintense T2-weighted lesions surrounded by edema in the right sublenticular, left occipital and left parietal regions, and VZV DNA was detected in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). After admitting the diagnosis of VZV encephalitis, the patient was treated with intravenous acyclovir, with clinical improvement and a favorable outcome.

Identifiants

pubmed: 37849585
doi: 10.7759/cureus.45378
pmc: PMC10578968
doi:

Types de publication

Case Reports

Langues

eng

Pagination

e45378

Informations de copyright

Copyright © 2023, Rodrigues et al.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Références

BMC Infect Dis. 2018 May 25;18(1):238
pubmed: 29801466
Cureus. 2022 Jul 3;14(7):e26539
pubmed: 35936170
eNeurologicalSci. 2019 Aug 22;16:100205
pubmed: 31497657
Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2015 Jul 02;1:15016
pubmed: 27188665
Ann Intensive Care. 2022 Apr 5;12(1):32
pubmed: 35380296
Clin Pract Cases Emerg Med. 2019 Oct 14;3(4):380-382
pubmed: 31763593
Neurology. 1999 Jan 1;52(1):193-5
pubmed: 9921876
IDCases. 2018 Dec 29;15:e00483
pubmed: 30701156

Auteurs

Filipa Rodrigues (F)

Internal Medicine, Hospital de Braga, Braga, PRT.

Mariana Santos (M)

Neuroradiology, Hospital de Braga, Braga, PRT.

Eduardo Macedo (E)

Internal Medicine, Hospital de Braga, Braga, PRT.

José Miguel Rocha (JM)

Oncology, Hospital de Braga, Braga, PRT.

Luís Silva (L)

Internal Medicine, Hospital de Braga, Braga, PRT.

Ana S Oliveira (AS)

Internal Medicine, Hospital de Braga, Braga, PRT.

Joana Alves (J)

Infectious Disease, Hospital de Braga, Braga, PRT.

Isabel Apolinário (I)

Internal Medicine, Hospital de Braga, Braga, PRT.

Classifications MeSH