Ong Catherine W M, Ang Brenda S P, Lee Cheng Chuan
National University Hospital, Medicine, 5 Lower Kent Ridge Road, Main Building Level 3, Singapore, 119074, Singapore.
BMJ Case Rep. 2009;2009. doi: 10.1136/bcr.09.2008.0952. Epub 2009 Apr 7.
Herpes zoster reactivation occurs in patients who had primary varicella infection, afflicting mainly the elderly and the immunocompromised. However, it is rare that varicella infection develop after zoster reactivation. We report on a patient with underlying HIV/AIDS who had two previous episodes of herpes zoster and still developed varicella infection, complicated by pneumonitis and polyradiculitis. We also review the relevant literature.