Myelopathy after herpes zoster.
A 73-year-old woman with a remote history of carcinoma of the ovary had herpes zoster involving several lumbosacral dermatomes. There subsequently developed a progressive myelopathy with normal myelographic findings and CSF pleocytosis. Vidarabine (15 mg/kg/day) was given for ten days. No further progression occurred. The syndrome of progressive myelopathy following herpes zoster is rare; direct viral invasion of the cord with subsequent necrosis appears to be the pathogenic mechanism. Antiviral therapy may have halted progression, but it did not lead to recovery of function.
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D014740:Vidarabine / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D014740:Vidarabine