REYE SYNDROME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLINICAL VARICELLA ZOSTER VIRUS AND INFLUENZA-A INFECTION

An association is reported between Reye syndrome and varicella zoster virus (VZV) infection in a 10-year-old boy who had serologic evidence of coinfection with VZV and influenza A H3N2, and exposure to salicyla tes. He developed VZV reinfection without skin lesions after family ex posure and influenza A was community-acquired. Recent chickenpox conta ct should initiate VZV serologic studies in Reye syndrome patients, re gardless of the chickenpox history or evidence of infection with other viruses.