Trigeminal herpes zoster: early recognition and treatment are crucial

BMJ Case Reports
Ben Lovell

Abstract

Reactivation of varicella zoster virus (VZV) is not uncommon in older patients, particularly in cases of chronic autoimmune disorders and in patients taking immunosuppressant drugs. We present a case of a 57-year-old woman presenting with severe herpes zoster infection, involving the maxillary and ophthalmic branches of the trigeminal nerve. Despite an initial delay in instigating crucial antiviral treatment, the patient achieved an excellent recovery, with only some mild scarring at 2 months postinfection. Trigeminal herpes zoster is a potentially devastating clinical occurrence, and is associated with severe long-term neurological sequelae, including encephalitis, vision loss and postherpetic neuralgia. Physicians must be aware of risk factors and treatment modalities.

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Citations

Aug 4, 2018·Continuum : Lifelong Learning in Neurology·Stewart J Tepper
Jul 30, 2019·Frontiers in Neuroscience·Yuanyuan DingGuangyi Zhao
Mar 17, 2020·Oman Journal of Ophthalmology·Rajat Mohan SrivastavaSiddharth Agrawal
Jul 11, 2018·Emergency Radiology·Musa MuftiJaya Nath

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