[Life-threatening generalized varioloid zoster with zoster pneumonia due to combined immunologic deficiency. Increased contagiousness of this disease].
There is a clear-cut correlation between the clinical course of an herpes zoster and the quality of immune response. A varioloid generalized herpes zoster accompanied by zoster-pneumonia developed in a forty years old female patient with metastasizing breast cancer treated with x-ray and cytostatic drugs. The particularly serious course of this herpes zoster was brought about by combined immune deficiency, consisting of low level of circulating T-lymphocytes (5/mm3) and for a long time lacking rise of complement fixing antibody titer. Under these conditions an enhanced replication and massive haematogenous spread of varicella-zoster virus took place. The increased contagiosity of this case is indicated by a varicella infection in the patient's two children, appearing after a regular incubation period. Patients with cellular or combined immune deficiency are potentially exposed to danger of herpes zoster and may serve as a source of infection for susceptible persons.
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000635:transmission; D006564:Herpesviridae; D006801:Humans; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D011024:Pneumonia, Viral / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents
Lebensbedrohlicher varioliformer Zoster generalisatus mit Zosterpneumonie infolge kombinierten Immundefizits. Erhöhte Kontagiosität dieser Verlaufsform