title: Zoster sine herpete, a clinical variant.
abstract: Two otherwise healthy immunocompetent men, ages 62 and 66 years, experienced years of radicular pain without zoster rash. An extensive search for systemic disease and malignancy was negative. Varicella-zoster virus DNA, but not herpes simplex virus DNA, was found in the cerebrospinal fluid of the first patient 5 months after the onset of pain, and in the second patient 8 months after the onset of pain. Prolonged radicular pain without zoster rash combined with the presence of varicella-zoster virus in the cerebrospinal fluid indicates that both men had zoster sine herpete, and strongly supports this syndrome as a clinical variant.
authors.affiliation: University of Colorado School of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Denver 80262.
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Gilden
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Schneck
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Gwaltney
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mahalingam
mesh_terms: D000212:Acyclovir / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000368:Aged; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000382:microbiology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000382:microbiology*; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D000212:Acyclovir