title: [Effect of acyclovir and steroid in a young immunocompetent male with herpes zoster myelitis].
abstract: Herpes zoster myelitis is a rare condition, usually seen in aged and immunocompromised patients. Due to atypical presen-tations it can be hard to diagnose. Intraspinal lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) support the diagnosis. We present a 39-year-old otherwise healthy male with symptoms of viral meningitis and rapidly progressing symptoms of myelitis. Lumbar puncture showed increased levels of monocytes and varicella zoster virus DNA. Despite a negative MRI, based on a few previous case reports and because of lack of progress on antiviral treatment, treatment with steroids was established early, recovering the patient dramatically. This supports that a combination of antiviral treatment and steroids may be a more efficient treatment of zoster myelitis and reminds us that the diagnosis cannot be excluded by a negative MRI.
authors.affiliation: Neurologisk Afdeling, Næstved Sygehus, Ringstedgade 61, 4700 Næstved. louay73@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Louay
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: El-Safadi
authors.forename: Nanna
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Arngrim
authors.forename: Faisal Mohammad
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Amin
mesh_terms: D000212:Acyclovir / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009187:Myelitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D000212:Acyclovir; D008775:Methylprednisolone