Recurrent herpes zoster in early childhood

A case of non-disseminated herpes zoster as the presenting sign of HIV in a 3-year-old

Herpes zoster is rare in healthy and immunocompetent children. While disseminated presentations of zoster are often concerning for underlying immunodeficiency, non-disseminated zoster can also be a presenting illness in such patients. Here, we report a case of non-disseminated herpes zoster in a presumably healthy immunized child that led to a diagnosis of human immunodeficiency virus infection.

Perineal muco-cutaneous herpes zoster treated with brivudin

Herpes zoster results from the reactivation of latent varicella-zoster virus (VZV) from the dorsal root ganglion of sensory nerves. It is rarely described in the pediatric population. We report the case of an 8-year-old immunocompetent boy with a painful lumbosacral herpes zoster that was treated with brivudin and achieved rapid and sustained improvement in the absence of muco-cutaneous or pharmacological side effects.