Cerebral infarction following thoracic herpes zoster.
OBJECTIVE
To present a case of cerebral infarction following thoracic herpes zoster presenting as Gerstmann's syndrome.


METHODS
A 61 year old male developed herpes zoster of T 1-2 dermatomes. Four months later he developed a confusional state together with expressive aphasia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia and finger agnosia with no long tract signs. CT scan of head showed recent infarction of this left parietal lobe. He received a five day course of acyclovir 800 mg four times daily and showed slow but steady improvement.


CONCLUSIONS
Herpes zoster is uncommonly followed by cerebral infarction. Acyclovir may have a role in therapy of this complication.
Kumar
A
A
Department of Medicine, Alice Springs Hospital, N.T., Australia.
Mollison
L
L
D000212:Acyclovir / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D005862:Gerstmann Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D000212:Acyclovir