Central nervous system infections caused by varicella-zoster virus.
We carried out a clinical and epidemiological study of adult patients with varicella-zoster virus central nervous system infection diagnosed by PCR in cerebrospinal fluid. Twenty-six patients were included. Twelve (46.2 %) patients were diagnosed with meningitis and fourteen (53.8 %) with meningoencephalitis. Twelve (46.2 %) had cranial nerves involvement (mainly the facial (VII) and vestibulocochlear (VIII) nerves), six (23.1 %) had cerebellar involvement, fourteen (53.8 %) had rash, and four (15.4 %) developed Ramsay Hunt syndrome. Three (11.5 %) patients had sequelae. Length of stay was significantly lower in patients diagnosed with meningitis and treatment with acyclovir was more frequent in patients diagnosed with meningoencephalitis. We believe routine detection of varicella-zoster virus, regardless of the presence of rash, is important because the patient may benefit from a different clinical management.
['Chamizo|Francisco J|FJ|', 'Gilarranz|Raúl|R|', 'Hernández|Melisa|M|', 'Ramos|Diana|D|', 'Pena|María José|MJ|']
D000212:Acyclovir D000328:Adult D000368:Aged D000369:Aged, 80 and over D000998:Antiviral Agents D002490:Central Nervous System D002531:Cerebellum D003391:Cranial Nerves D020804:Encephalitis, Varicella Zoster D005260:Female D016697:Herpes Zoster Oticus D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human D006801:Humans D008297:Male D008587:Meningitis, Viral D008875:Middle Aged D012189:Retrospective Studies D000159:Vestibulocochlear Nerve
Varicella-zoster virus Meningitis Meningoencephalitis Ramsay Hunt syndrome Cerebellitis