title: Rhabdomyolysis associated with acute varicella infection.
abstract: We report two cases of intense, generalized rhabdomyolysis complicating varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infections, one in an adolescent and one in a young adult male. In both cases, myoglobinuria and weakness of large muscle groups developed within 5 days of the onset of vesicular lesions. A muscle biopsy from one of the individuals showed muscle fiber necrosis in the absence of acute inflammatory infiltrates or vasculitis. Culture of the muscle biopsy specimen for VZV was negative; however, the VZV genome was detected by the polymerase chain reaction. Both patients recovered fully after treatment with hydration therapy alone.
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093, USA.
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Pratt
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Bradley
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Loubert
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: LaRocco
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: McNeal
authors.forename: R O
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Newbury
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Sawyer
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002644:Chickenpox / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D005440:Fluid Therapy; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012206:Rhabdomyolysis / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy / Q000821:virology*