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CASE REPORT
Multi-organ involvement secondary to varicella zoster virus, herpes simplex virus and cytomegalovirus in an immunocompromised patient
  1. Ripal Jariwala1,
  2. Kristen Zeitler1,
  3. Nicole D Riddle2 and
  4. Chakrapol Sriaroon3
  1. 1 Department of Pharmacy, Tampa General Hospital, Tampa, Florida, USA
  2. 2 USF Pathology, Ruffolo, Hooper and Associates, Tampa, Florida, USA
  3. 3 Division of Pulmonaryand Critical Care Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
  1. Correspondence to Dr Chakrapol Sriaroon, csriaro{at}health.usf.edu

Abstract

The use of immunosuppressing agents can act as a catalyst for viral reactivation, promoting systemic infection with organ involvement. Current literature remains sparse on this topic but does provide individual case reports involving single viruses. We present the case of an immunocompromised patient with skin lesions, pancreatitis, colitis and hepatitis. Work-up revealed varicella zoster virus, which likely put the patient at risk for multi-organ involvement, as well as clinical suspicion of other implicated viruses, specifically herpes simplex virus and cytomegalovirus. A high clinical index of suspicion along with biopsy guidance for viral involvement in immunocompromised patients is crucial for early diagnosis and treatment of these conditions.

  • dermatology
  • infectious diseases
  • pathology

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Footnotes

  • Contributors RJ, KZ, NR and CS: contributed to planning of manuscript, conception and design for writing, acquisition of data, interpretation of data, writing of manuscript and editing/approval of final version.

  • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

  • Competing interests None declared.

  • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

  • Patient consent for publication Next of kin consent obtained.