Childhood herpes zoster

Herpes tester (HZ) in childhood is rather unusual. This reactivation of chi ckenpox, the primary varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infection that lies dorma nt within sensory ganglia, is seen with increased frequency in otherwise he althy children who acquire chickenpox either in utero or within the first y ear of life. Our patient is a good example of this; he was exposed to chick enpox at the age of 3 months (by his 2 siblings) and developed HZ at 6 year s of age.