Simultaneous Occurrence of Varicella Zoster Virus-Induced Pancreatitis and Hepatitis in a Renal Transplant Recipient: A Case Report and Review of Literature.
Gastrointestinal complications are common after renal transplantation, including oral lesions, esophagitis, gastritis, diarrhea, and colon carcinoma. The differential diagnosis is difficult in this scenario because multiple factors such as drugs, infections, and preexisting gastrointestinal disease come into play.



We report a case of varicella zoster virus-induced pancreatitis and hepatitis in a renal transplant recipient. The patient underwent renal transplantation 3 years earlier and now presented with severe pain in the epigastrium radiating to his back and had raised serum lipase levels and skin lesions characteristic of varicella. Liver enzyme levels were also elevated. He was started on a regimen of acyclovir. His pain improved in 24 hours, and liver enzyme levels returned to normal in 48 hours.



There is a paucity of literature on the simultaneous occurrence of varicella zoster virus-induced hepatitis and pancreatitis in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients. Our case highlights the gastrointestinal complications of varicella infection in immunocompromised patients that may precede the characteristic dermatologic manifestations, and the fact that rarely both hepatitis and pancreatitis may be seen.
Attending Consultant in the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the Fortis Hospital Mohali in Chandigarh, Mohali, Punjab, India. puneet.pgi@gmail.com.
Puneet
P
Chhabra
Director of the Urology and Kidney Transplantation Department at the Fortis Hospital Mohali in Chandigarh, Mohali, Punjab, India. drp.ranjan1978@gmail.com.
Priyadarshi
P
Ranjan
Director of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Interventional Endoscopy at the Fortis Hospital Mohali in Chandigarh, Mohali, Punjab, India. deepakkbhasin@gmail.com.
Deepak K
DK
Bhasin
D006505:Hepatitis / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology*; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000821:virology; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology*