Varicella-Zoster Virus Vasculopathy with Extension from the Cranial Nerves to the Brainstem: A Case Report
Abstract
Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infection of the central nervous system can cause vasculopathy, although its mechanisms remain poorly understood. A 72-year-old immunocompetent man developed facial vesicles, headache, fever, and left seventh and eighth cranial nerve palsy. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed swelling of the affected nerves and mixed ischemic-hemorrhagic lesions in the left middle cerebellar peduncle, consistent with VZV vasculopathy. He improved with antiviral and corticosteroid therapy. This case highlights an atypical radiological pattern suggesting an extension from the cranial nerves. VZV vasculopathy should be considered when parenchymal ischemic-hemorrhagic lesions occur after infection, even in the absence of typical vascular distribution.
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BibTeX
@article{nozue2026varicellazoster,
title = {{Varicella-Zoster Virus Vasculopathy with Extension from the Cranial Nerves to the Brainstem: A Case Report}},
author = {Kei Nozue and Hajime Ikenouchi and Tomohiko Akano and Yusuke Kuroda and Kensho Ikeda and Kaoru Endo},
journal = {Internal Medicine},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.2169/internalmedicine.7220-26},
url = {https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/internalmedicine/advpub/0/advpub_7220-26/_article},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Varicella-Zoster Virus Vasculopathy with Extension from the Cranial Nerves to the Brainstem: A Case Report
AU - Kei Nozue
AU - Hajime Ikenouchi
AU - Tomohiko Akano
AU - Yusuke Kuroda
AU - Kensho Ikeda
AU - Kaoru Endo
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/08
JO - Internal Medicine
DO - 10.2169/internalmedicine.7220-26
UR - https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/internalmedicine/advpub/0/advpub_7220-26/_article
AB - Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infection of the central nervous system can cause vasculopathy, although its mechanisms remain poorly understood. A 72-year-old immunocompetent man developed facial vesicles, headache, fever, and left seventh and eighth cranial nerve palsy. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed swelling of the affected nerves and mixed ischemic-hemorrhagic lesions in the left middle cerebellar peduncle, consistent with VZV vasculopathy. He improved with antiviral and corticosteroid therapy. This case highlights an atypical radiological pattern suggesting an extension from the cranial nerves. VZV vasculopathy should be considered when parenchymal ischemic-hemorrhagic lesions occur after infection, even in the absence of typical vascular distribution.
SN - 1349-7235
SN - 0918-2918
ER -