title: Fatal chickenpox pneumonia in an asthmatic patient on oral steroids and methotrexate.
abstract: A 49 year old man with a long history of severe chronic asthma, treated with oral corticosteroids and weekly doses of methotrexate, contracted chickenpox from his son whose chickenpox rash had developed three weeks before presentation. Five days before admission the patient developed a vesicular skin rash which became extensive, with general malaise, bilateral pneumonia, and acute deterioration of his asthma. He died two weeks after admission despite treatment with acyclovir.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Memorial Hospital, Darlington, Co Durham, UK.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Gatnash
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Connolly
mesh_terms: D000212:Acyclovir / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy; D002644:Chickenpox / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D011024:Pneumonia, Viral / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011859:Radiography
chemical_list: D000212:Acyclovir; D008727:Methotrexate