title: Multiple cerebral infarcts due to varicella-zoster virus large-vessel vasculopathy in an immunocompetent adult without skin involvement.
abstract: We report the case of a 52-year-old immunocompetent man with varicella-zoster virus large-vessel vasculopathy and multiple bilateral cerebral infarcts who had no history of skin involvement. Etiologic diagnosis was made by isolation of varicella-zoster virus from a cerebrospinal fluid specimen. The patient had marked improvement in mental status after acyclovir therapy was initiated.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Allergy, and Immunology, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick 08903-0019, USA.
authors.forename: Nasir M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: Susan E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Boruchoff
mesh_terms: D000212:Acyclovir / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000821:virology; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007121:Immunocompetence; D008297:Male; D012867:Skin
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000212:Acyclovir