Fulminant hepatitis due to varicella zoster virus in a girl with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in remission: report of a case and review.
- Resource Type
- Academic Journal
- Authors
- Mantadakis E; Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, University Hospital of Heraklion, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.; Anagnostatou N; Danilatou V; Markaki EA; Spanaki AM; Briassoulis G; Kalmanti M
- Source
- Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 9505928 Publication Model: Print Cited Medium: Print ISSN: 1077-4114 (Print) Linking ISSN: 10774114 NLM ISO Abbreviation: J Pediatr Hematol Oncol Subsets: MEDLINE
- Subject
- Language
- English
- ISSN
- 1077-4114
The authors describe a 4-year-old girl with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in remission who developed fulminant hepatic failure due to varicella-zoster virus (VZV). Diagnosing VZV visceral infection in immunocompromised patients is often difficult due to atypical clinical presentation with few or no skin lesions and severe abdominal or back pain. Prompt initiation of empirical treatment with acyclovir and VZV immunoglobulin pending results of the serum polymerase chain reaction for VZV is warranted in this clinical setting.