A clinical variant of genital herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection, recurre
nt lumbosacral HSV, occurs in bedridden hospitalized patients. We want to c
all attention to an uncommon pattern of HSV infection in the hospitalized b
edridden patient seen by the dermatology consultation service in a large un
iversity hospital. HSV is characterized by a mixture of recurrent groups of
herpetic vesicles in all stages of development, with multiple, persistent
hyperpigmented patches bilaterally distributed over the lumbosacral (buttoc
ks) area.