title: Fatal visceral varicella-zoster developing early after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.
abstract: A middle-aged woman who had undergone autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) 1 month previously suffered severe epigastralgia and relapse of lymphoma. The epigastralgia was not relieved by chemotherapy. Thereafter, her pancreatic and hepatic enzyme levels were markedly elevated and disseminated varicella emerged. Despite acyclovir administration, her general condition deteriorated rapidly and she died. Serum varicella zoster virus (VZV) DNA level was shown to be elevated and a diagnosis of disseminated VZV infection was established postmortem. In patients with severe abdominal pain following HSCT, early suspicion and therapeutic intervention for VZV are important, even in the absence of skin lesions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology and Rheumatology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ichikawa
authors.forename: Mihyun
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Shin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hasegawa
authors.forename: Keiichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohashi
authors.forename: Aiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Mayumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kamata
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Okitsu
authors.forename: Noriko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fukuhara
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Onishi
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ishizawa
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Harigae
mesh_terms: D002644:Chickenpox / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000209:etiology* / Q000821:virology; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged