Rinsho Shinkeigaku (Clinical Neurology)

Case Report

Varicella zoster virus associated-polyradiculoneuritis in an elderly woman: A new subtype of varicella zoster virus neuropathy

Noriyuki Koga, M.D.1)2), Hiroshi Shoji, M.D.3)* , Tomonaga Matsushita, M.D.1), Yoshihisa Fukushima, M.D.1), Kenji Fukuda, M.D.1) and Shuichi Oguri, M.D.4)5)

Corresponding author: Division of Neurology, St. Mary's Hospital [422 Tsubukuhonmachi, Kurume, Fukuoka 830-8543, Japan]
1) Division of Cerebrovascular Medicine, St. Mary's Hospital
2) Present address; Kokura Memorial Hospital
3) Division of Neurology, St. Mary's Hospital
4) Division of Radiology, St. Mary's Hospital
5) Department of Radiology, Fukuoka Sanno Hospital

An 82-year-old Japanese woman without underlying disease was admitted to our hospital 3 days after she noticed lower-limb weakness. At presentation, she had lower-leg motor paralysis with mild upper-limb paresis and left Ramsay Hunt syndrome. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) findings revealed moderate pleocytosis. A polymerase chain reaction for varicella zoster virus (VZV) DNA in CSF was positive. MRI using 3D Nerve-VIEW (Philips) and contrast T1 images showed high-intensity lesions on the L2-5 and S1-2 spinal roots. A new subtype of VZV-associated polyradiculoneuritis was diagnosed in this patient. We provide the case details and compare three similar reported cases.
Full Text of this Article in Japanese PDF (1184K)

(CLINICA NEUROL, 62: 935|939, 2022)
key words: herpes zoster, varicella zoster virus, polyradiculoneuritis, Ramsay Hunt syndrome, meningitis

(Received: 14-Jul-22)