title: Chronic varicella presenting as disseminated pinpoint-sized papules in a man infected with the human immunodeficiency virus.
abstract: A 39-year-old HIV-infected man had manifested a typical varicella successfully treated with intravenous acyclovir. Despite oral acyclovir, he developed 10 days later a widespread eruption of pinpoint-sized erythematous papular lesions. Histologic examination and viral culture showed a persistent varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infection. Intravenous acyclovir and foscarnet were both efficient. However, each withdrawal of intravenously administered treatment resulted in a rapid relapse. Among the atypical forms of chronic varicella, this eruption appears to be unique. As in our case, chronic VZV infection appears often to be a difficult therapeutic challenge.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Nice, France.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Castanet
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rodot
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Lacour
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Van Elslande
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Perrin
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Durant
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Ortonne
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D000212:Acyclovir / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002644:Chickenpox / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D017245:Foscarnet / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012008:Recurrence
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D017245:Foscarnet; D000212:Acyclovir