Chronic ulcerating acyclovir-resistant varicella zoster lesions in an AIDS patient.
We describe a 28-year-old HIV-infected woman with AIDS, defined by cerebral toxoplasmosis and a CD4-count of less than 10 x 10(6) cells/I, who, after several eruptions of genital herpes and typical dermatomal herpes zoster, all successfully treated with acyclovir, developed chronic cutaneous ulcerating lesions on a finger and on the tibia. The lesions were found to contain varicella zoster virus antigen but repeated treatment courses with acyclovir were unsuccessful. After a course of intravenous foscarnet the lesions resolved. They recurred after discontinuation of foscarnet but finally responded to a second course of treatment.
Bernhard
P
P
Department of Infectious Diseases, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Obel
N
N
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000212:Acyclovir / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D005260:Female; D017245:Foscarnet / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D012883:Skin Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D017245:Foscarnet; D000212:Acyclovir