Chickenpox: an ageless disease.

Authors :: Navaratnam AMD
Ma N
Farrukh M
Abdulla A
Source :: BMJ case reports [BMJ Case Rep] 2017 Dec 22; Vol. 2017. Date of Electronic Publication: 2017 Dec 22.
Publication Year :: 2017
Abstract: A 97-year-old woman presented with 4-day history of vesicular rash, initially at the feet but then spread up to the thighs bilaterally, abdomen and trunk. The initial differentials included bullous pemphigus and cellulitis by the emergency department. She was then managed as bullous pemphigus by the acute medical team and started on high-dose steroids, with no other differentials considered. When her care was taken over by the general medical team, varicella zoster virus (VZV) infection was suspected. After confirmation by the dermatology team regarding the clinical diagnosis and the positive VZV DNA swabs, she was started on acyclovir.<br />Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared.<br /> (© BMJ Publishing Group Ltd (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.)