title: Viral folliculitis. Atypical presentations of herpes simplex, herpes zoster, and molluscum contagiosum.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Viral folliculitis is an infrequently reported entity. The patients described herein were seen over a 12-year period of practice in a referral dermatologic setting. The cases involve a variety of viral infections limited to the hair follicle.
  
  
  METHODS
  We describe 5 patients with a variety of viral folliculitides: 2 with herpetic sycosis caused by herpes simplex; 1 with herpex simplex folliculitis (this patient also had human immunodeficiency virus); 1 with herpes zoster without blisters; and 1 with molluscum contagiosum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These 5 cases demonstrate that viral folliculitis has varied causes and presentations. Clinicians should consider viral agents in the differential diagnosis of superficial infectious folliculitis, especially in cases that are refractory to antibacterial or antifungal therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, USA.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Weinberg
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mysliwiec
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Turiansky
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Redfield
authors.forename: W D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: James
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005499:Folliculitis / Q000821:virology*; D006561:Herpes Simplex; D006562:Herpes Zoster; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008976:Molluscum Contagiosum