Title : Reactivation of herpes zoster during Covid 19 infection
Abstract:
During the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, sundry dermatological conditions related to COVID-19 pneumonia have been published. COVID-19 primarily affects the respiratory system, but secondarily it also affects the heart, kidney, brain, skin, spinal cord, etc. Herpes Zoster (HZ) is considerably important morbidity associated with COVID-19 pneumonia. Recrudescence of HZ occurs because of the latent varicella-zoster virus (VZV) predominantly because of the decline in cell-mediated immunity (CMI). Abating CMI is due to the increasing age, but could also occur if the patient is suffering from an immunosuppressive disease or is using immunosuppressive drugs. In our case, the patient had no lymphopenia unlike the other cases, yet still, he developed HZ. The median time to be diagnosed with COVID-19 and shingles was 5.5 days and acyclovir resolved the lesions after 10 day. Herpes zoster has recently resurfaced, and the inactivated COVID-19 vaccine has been implicated, especially with CoronaVac which carries an inactivated portion of coronavirus. In addition, there was a 5-day latency period between the onset of herpes zoster and the administration of the inactivated COVID-19 vaccination.
What will audience learn from your presentation?
- COVID has impact in reactivation of herpes zoster without lymphopenia. A possible explanation may modulation of immunity.
- COVID morbidity is not limited to COVID pneumonia.
