Atypical varicella exanthems associated with skin injury

• Published in: Pediatric dermatology Vol. 11; no. 2; p. 129
• Main Authors: Belhorn, T H, Lucky, A W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-06-1994
• Subjects: Adolescent; Chickenpox - complications; Child, Preschool; Exanthema - etiology; Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Male; Skin - injuries
• ISSN: 0736-8046
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1525-1470.1994.tb00566.x

Varicella is a common childhood disease with a typical exanthem. We present four children with severe, localized disease, all associated with some form of trauma to the skin during the incubation period: a 3 1/2-year-old boy sustained wasp stings on the hand, a 5-year-old boy received extensive sun exposure, a neonate had iatrogenic trauma to her arm, and a 13-year-old boy underwent knee arthroscopy and was wearing a cast. It is postulated that such injuries to the skin either allowed more virus-infected cells to enter the skin at the sites, or that factors such as insect venom and ultraviolet light altered local immunity to varicella zoster virus.