title: A rare case of disseminated cutaneous zoster in an immunocompetent patient.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Disseminated cutaneous herpes zoster in healthy persons is uncommon, though it has been described in immunocompromised patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We describe a case of disseminated cutaneous herpes zoster in an elderly man with no apparent immunosuppressive condition. The patient was treated successfully with intravenous Acyclovir.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We suggest that disseminated zoster can occur in an immunocompetent host and should be promptly recognized and treated to prevent serious complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 6431 Fannin, Houston 77030, USA. sachin.gupta@uth.tmc.edu
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jain
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gardiner
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Tyring
mesh_terms: D000212:Acyclovir / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012872:Skin Diseases, Vesiculobullous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000212:Acyclovir