A case of varicella-zoster myelopathy.
BACKGROUND
Early diagnosis of neurological complications of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is important because of its treatability. We performed polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect VZV-DNA from the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of a patient with myelopathy.


METHODS
A 69-year-old man developed sensory disturbances in the lower extremities and bladder-bowel disturbances, followed by cutaneous zoster on his left arm. Polymerase chain reaction was applied to identify the viral DNA in CSF.


RESULTS
The increased antibody index of VZV and herpes simplex virus (HSV) in the CSF suggested intrathecal synthesis of IgG antibodies to these viruses. VZV-DNA was detected in the CSF by nested PCR, but neither HSV-1 nor HSV-2 DNA was detected in CSF. He was successfully treated with acyclovir and prednisolone.


CONCLUSIONS
PCR may be a useful tool for the diagnosis of VZV myelopathy.
Aizawa
H
H
Department of Internal Medicine, National Hospital Nayoro, Japan.
Suzutani
T
T
Yahara
O
O
Gotoh
R
R
Morita
K
K
Minami
H
H
Sasaki
N
N
Tobise
K
K
D000368:Aged; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000382:microbiology*
D004279:DNA, Viral