title: Successful antiviral treatment after 6years of chronic progressive neurological disease attributed to VZV brain infection.
abstract: We describe an extraordinary case of an immunocompetent patient who developed sacral-distribution zoster, followed 3months later by neurological disease that progressed for 6years and was attributed to varicella zoster virus (VZV) infection of the brain. Despite the prolonged infection, neurologic symptoms and signs resolved rapidly and completely after treatment with intravenous acyclovir.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA. Electronic address: don.gilden@ucdenver.edu.
authors.forename: Don
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gilden
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Grose
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: White
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA.
authors.forename: Lidia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nagae
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Hendricks
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA.
authors.forename: Randall J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Cohrs
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA.
authors.forename: Maria A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Nagel
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000821:virology; D020804:Encephalitis, Varicella Zoster / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents
keywords: Progressive neurological disease; VZV