Aseptic meningitis due to zona zoster infection

Zona Zoster, is a mostly benign disease in immunocompetent children. Those of in immunocompromised children, there is a risk of dissemination. Zona zoster, scarcely causes some neurological complications such as myelitis, aseptic meningitis, encephalitis and ventriculitis in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised children. A 17-year-old girl who had bone marrow transplantation for thalasemia major was admitted to our hospital with fever, itchy rash on the right chest and axillary region and diagnosed as zona zoster. She had severe headache and vomiting on follow-up. We performed lumbar puncture because of the neck stiffness and meningeal irritation signs, pleocytosis and protein elevation were detected in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The diagnosis of aseptic meningitis due to zona zoster was confirmed by VZV-PCR in the CSF. She cured without sequele after the administration of acyclovir treatment for 10 days. If symptoms such as headache and vomiting develop in immunocompromised children with zona zoster, neurological complications like aseptic meningitis should be remembered. (Turk Arch Ped 2012; 47: 143-6)