[Lethal varicella in infants].

Varicella are regarded as relatively harmless disease. Since the application of antibiotics as complication appear rare mortal courses of generalised varicella above all as a sequel of haemorrhagic-gangrenous forms of course (especially under therapy of corticosteroids), of varicella pneumonia and of encephalitides, while the bacterial superinfection is in second place concerning exitus letalis. Two own observations of varicella infections having a fatal outcome in a 1 1/2-year-old child and a 2-year-old child are reported. In the two cases the efflorescences of the skin were already healing. While one child suddenly died at home (concerning the cells a typical perivenous encephalitis as well as a varicella hepatitis without nuclear inclusion bodies was proved), the older child was admitted to hospital after sudden deterioration and abscess-formation of a chickenpox pustule. Clinically a meningo-encephalitis was established, which after dramatic course led to death still at the day of admission. As to the cells only slight perivenous round cell infiltrates could be proved in severe cerebral oedema, cytolyses and sporadic perivascular haemorrhages and emedullations.