Case report: aseptic meningitis secondary to varicella-zoster virus (VZV) without an exanthem post MMR vaccination

Syeda Sahra; Abdullah Jahangir; Allison Glaser; Neville Mobarakai; Ahmad Jahangir

doi:10.1186/s12879-021-06453-5

Case report: aseptic meningitis secondary to varicella-zoster virus (VZV) without an exanthem post MMR vaccination

BMC Infect Dis. 2021 Aug 3;21(1):746. doi: 10.1186/s12879-021-06453-5.

Authors

Syeda Sahra¹, Abdullah Jahangir², Allison Glaser², Neville Mobarakai², Ahmad Jahangir³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Internal Medicine, Hofstra School of Medicine, Staten Island University Hospital, 475-Seaview Avenue, Staten Island, NY, 10305, USA. ssahra@northwell.edu.
² Department of Internal Medicine, Hofstra School of Medicine, Staten Island University Hospital, 475-Seaview Avenue, Staten Island, NY, 10305, USA.
³ King Edward Medical University, Lahore, 10305, Pakistan.

Abstract

Background: Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is a known cause of aseptic meningitis, with a predisposition for an immunocompromised population. A dermatomal rash usually accompanies aseptic meningitis secondary to VZV.

Case presentation: We report the case of a 31-year-old male with a history of chickenpox in childhood and recent shingles who presented with severe frontal headaches secondary to VZV meningitis. The patient had also recently received the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. He recovered without any neurological sequala.

Conclusion: This case report describes an immunocompetent patient with recent MMR vaccination who developed aseptic meningitis secondary to VZV without any dermatomal involvement (Zoster Sine Herpete).

Keywords: Aseptic meningitis; Chickenpox; MMR; Shingles; VZV; Zoster.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Adult
Chickenpox*
Exanthema*
Herpes Zoster* / diagnosis
Herpesvirus 3, Human
Humans
Male
Meningitis, Aseptic* / diagnosis
Meningitis, Aseptic* / etiology
Vaccination