UNSUSPECTED VARICELLA-ZOSTER VIRUS ENCEPHALITIS IN A CHILD WITH ACQUIRED-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-SYNDROME

We report a case of progressive encephalitis caused by varicella-zoste r virus (VZV) in an adolescent with hemophilia and acquired immunodefi ciency syndrome but without cutaneous signs of VZV infection. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain demonstrated an abnormally increased p eriventricular signal in T2-weighted images. Infection with VZV was pr oved by in situ hybridization and immunofluorescence staining of brain tissue, which showed histologic evidence of herpesvirus infection. En cephalitis caused by infection with VZV is a potentially treatable com plication of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and requires a high in dex of suspicion for diagnosis.