Herpes Zoster Case Study

Title
Herpes zoster eruption in otherwise healthy child with intrauterine exposure of VZV infection; A case report.
Summary
A 13-year-old boy presented to the emergency department complaining of painful itchy vesicular rash affecting the right side of the face for 2 days. After through history, physical exam and investigation, he was diagnosed with herpetic (varicella) vesiculobullous dermatitis.
Keywords
Varicella-Zoster Virus, Reactivation, Vesicular Eruption, children, Acyclovir
Introduction
Varicella zoster virus (VZV) is a human viral infection manifests in two clinically distinct forms; primary varicella and herpes zoster (HZ). As the primary varicella infection, or chickenpox, resolves, the virus travers through sensory neurological tract of the affected area. Eventually, the virus resides in the dorsal root ganglion of the affected dermatome in latent form. Reactivation of the latent viral infection manifests as Herpes zoster, or what commonly known as shingles(1).Clinically, shingles is described as multi vesicular eruptive rash that follows a single or multiple adjacent dermatomes in distribution.Often accompanied with or preceded by acute pain and itchiness. Complication of the infection may arise

Three days prior to presentation, he started to have burning pain described as toothache at the right upper angle of the mouth. One day later, he developed vesicular rash affecting right side of the oral mucosa.Progressively spreading to the right side of the nose reaching up to the right lower eyelid and lateral area of the right palpebral fissure. The pain was severe enough to prevent him from opening his mouth and right eye.Otherwise, the child was well and with no other constitutional