title: Acute longitudinal and hemorrhagic myelitis caused by varicella-zoster virus in an immunocompetent adolescent.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In immunocompetent person, varicella-zoster virus (VZV)-induced myelitis is rare and the lesion usually comprise focal spinal cord segment. VZV-induced hemorrhagic myelitis with lesions comprising longitudinal spinal cord has never been reported.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report a 15-year-old male patient who developed acute flaccid quadriplegia, days after a common cold. One week after the quadriplegia developed, he presented a typical herpes zoster on the lateral side of his left waist.
  
  
  RESULTS
  IgG antibody for VZV was detected in cerebrospinal fluid and the spinal cord magnetic resonance imaging findings were consistent with that of small vessel vasculitis. Treatment with acyclovir and corticosteroids resulted in no significant clinical improvement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this report, we wanted to emphasize the hemorrhage, the extensiveness of inflammatory changes induced by VZV in spinal cord. It is suggested that VZV should be considered as a possible cause of a severe hemorrhagic myelitis even in immunocompetent adolescent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The First Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chuan-Yong
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Yuan-Yuan
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Yi-Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007121:Immunocompetence; D008297:Male; D009187:Myelitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology*; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000209:etiology / Q000821:virology*