Affiliations: Department of Dermatology, La Rabta Hospital, Tunis,
Tunisia
Note: [] Correspondence: Dr. Ines Zaraa, Dermatology Department, La
Rabta Hospital, Jabbari, Bab Saadoun, Tunis, 1007 Tunisia. Tel.: +21698307425;
Fax: +21671569449; E-mail: inesrania@myway.com
Abstract: Herpes zoster is the clinical consequence of a late reactivation of
the varicella zoster virus. It infects mainly the elderly, pediatric cases are
uncommon, usually observed in immunocompromised children. We report an unusual
clinical presentation of disseminated cutaneous herpes zoster in
immunocompetent infant without history of chickenpox but with positive history
of maternal varicella during pregnancy. A 22-month-old male infant was
addressed to our department because of a history of crops of vesicular eruption
on the thoracic area. This infant did not have a history of postnatal
varicella, and his mother had acquired varicella infection during the 8th month
of pregnancy. Physical examination showed many crops of vesicular lesions
grouped on the left scapular area with some disseminated vesicular lesions
present on the trunk and the four extremities. Intravenous acyclovir was
administrated with total recovery 10 days later. Disseminated cutaneous
varicella zoster virus in infancy is exceptional; few cases were reported in
the literature. The dissemination is rare in healthy patients; it is more
common in immunocompromised patients and likely to be complicated with visceral
or neurologic involvement, but in healthy patients, the course is usually
benign and not associated with high morbidity as in our case.
