[Pneumonia caused by varicella-zoster virus in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis].
A 56-year-old woman suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, was admitted to our hospital for evaluation of fever and dyspnea. A month before admission, she had been given a diagnosis of herpes zoster and was treated with an antiviral agent. However, a perineal eruption persisted. A chest X-ray film and a chest CT scan showed many diffuse nodular shadows in both lung fields. With conservative treatment, the shadows regressed along with the skin eruption and other symptoms. Pneumonia caused by varicella-zoster virus was diagnosed from the clinical course, chest roentgenographic and CT scan findings, and serological data. The risk of mortality in varicella-zoster pneumonia is high in adults, especially in immunosuppressed patients. Early diagnosis and effective treatment are, therefore, essential in the management of this disease. Though varicella-zoster pneumonia is rare, chest roentgenographic and CT scan findings are characteristic and suggestive. This case may serve as a reminder of the features of varicella-zoster pneumonia: many nodular shadows on the chest X-ray film and CT scan.
Nakamura
M
M
Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan.
Kanazawa
M
M
Yamaguchi
K
K
Akizuki
M
M
Satoh
S
S
Inada
S
S
D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D011024:Pneumonia, Viral / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G