Acute abdomen without cutaneous signs of varicella zoster virus infection as a late complication of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation: importance of empiric therapy with acyclovir

Bone Marrow Transplant. 2000 May;25(9):1003-5. doi: 10.1038/sj.bmt.1702340.

Abstract

Two patients complained of severe abdominal pain as the first sign of varicella zoster virus infection about 1 year after allogeneic BMT. In case 1, eruptions, found on the face and chest on admission, became vesicular and dispersed on the third hospital day. Though acyclovir (ACV) was immediately started, he died on the fourth day. In case 2, skin rash was never observed during the clinical course. Laparotomy on the third hospital day revealed many hemorrhagic spots on the liver surface and mucous membrane of the upper GI tract, indicating disseminated visceral disease. Empiric therapy with ACV was successful.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Abdominal Pain
  • Adult
  • Bone Marrow Transplantation / adverse effects*
  • Exanthema
  • Herpes Zoster / etiology*
  • Herpes Zoster / physiopathology
  • Herpesvirus 3, Human / isolation & purification*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Time Factors
  • Transplantation, Homologous