[Varicella pneumonia: a serious complication of varicella in adults].
Pneumonia caused by varicella infection is a serious and severe complication of the disease when it occurs in adults. The authors report two cases of a varicella pneumonia in a 36 and a 41 year-old non-immunocompromised man. They were admitted to hospital for acute respiratory failure, not requiring intensive care, associated with exanthema. High resolution CT revealed well-defined diffuse nodules throughout both lungs, nodules with a surrounding halo of ground-glass opacity. Thrombocytopenia, hepatic cytolysis and an increase in lacticodeshydrogenase were noted. The patients made a full recovery with anti-viral therapy and oxygen therapy. Varicella pneumonia is the most common complication of varicella in adults. Anti-viral treatment is usually successful.
Abdelghani
A
A
Service de pneumologie, CHU Farhat-Hached, 1, rue Ibn Eljazzar, 4000 Sousse, Tunisia. ahmed.abdelghani@rns.tn
Slama
S
S
Hayouni
A
A
Njima
H
H
Mezghani
S
S
Klabi
N
N
Garrouche
A
A
Benzarti
M
M
Jerray
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002644:Chickenpox / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007121:Immunocompetence; D008297:Male; D010102:Oxygen Inhalation Therapy; D011024:Pneumonia, Viral / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy / Q000821:virology*; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000821:virology
D000998:Antiviral Agents