Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy Used as First Choice to Treat Herpes Zoster Virus Infection in Younger Patient: A Case Report.

Herpes zoster virus infection is commonly described as reactivation of the varicella zoster virus (VZV), which involves the trigeminal nerve branches and ganglia in the maxillofacial region. The ophthalmic branch is the most involved, whereas the maxillary (V2) and mandibular (V3) dermatomes are less commonly affected. This report describes the positive clinical results of photodynamaic therapy (PDT), used as first choice treatment modality, in a younger female patient who showed a diagnosis of recurrent infection of VZV in the right cheek after five applications and without having undergone medical approach. PDT has been used to treat several infectious processes and pre-oncological intraoral and extra-oral lesions. Our first-choice treatment protocol, taking into account her medical record, was PDT until we obtained completely regression and recovery. On the third and fourth days after light irradiation, the energy was reduced to 4 J. At fifth day of light irradiation, complete recovery was clinically observed. The treatment with low-intensity laser, for both aPDT and light irradiation, was effective and safe, resulting in decontamination and healing of the area of the affected lesion, and improvement in the signs and symptoms of herpes zoster virus.