Abstract
Herein we describe an episode of focal varicella-zoster virus (VZV) encephalitis in a healthy young man with neither rash nor radicular pain. The symptoms began with headaches and seizures, after which magnetic resonance imaging detected a single hyperintense lesion in the left temporal lobe. Because of theprovisional diagnosis of a brain tumor, the lesionwas excised and submitted for pathological examination. No tumor was found. But the tissue immunostained positively for VZV antigens, and wild-type VZV sequences were detected. In short, this case represents VZV reactivation, most likely in the trigeminal ganglion, in the absence of clinical herpes zoster.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 713-716 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Journal of Infectious Diseases |
Volume | 210 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Sep 1 2014 |
Keywords
- Herpes zoster
- Latency
- Trigeminal ganglion
- Valacyclovir
- Varicella vaccine
- Varicella-zoster virus
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Immunology and Allergy
- Infectious Diseases