Herpes Zoster: A Case Report of a Rare Ramification Leading to Secondary Infection

Aravind Warrier S; Sivaswarubini Ganesh; Thamizhchelvan Harikrishnan; Barath Balaji; Divyambika C Venugopal; Sushmitha S

doi:10.7759/cureus.36732

Herpes Zoster: A Case Report of a Rare Ramification Leading to Secondary Infection

Cureus. 2023 Mar 27;15(3):e36732. doi: 10.7759/cureus.36732. eCollection 2023 Mar.

Authors

Aravind Warrier S¹, Sivaswarubini Ganesh¹, Thamizhchelvan Harikrishnan², Barath Balaji², Divyambika C Venugopal¹, Sushmitha S¹

Affiliations

¹ Oral Medicine and Radiology, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, IND.
² Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, IND.

Abstract

The herpes virus causes herpes zoster (HZ) (shingles). It develops years later in elderly patients who were affected by the varicella-zoster virus in their childhood. The virus gets reactivated and typically localizes its symptoms to a particular dermatome. If left untreated, it can lead to dental complications, such as osteonecrosis, tooth exfoliation, periodontitis, calcified and devitalized pulps, periapical lesions, and root resorption, in addition to developmental irregularities, such as abnormally short roots and missing teeth. Here, we present the case of a 61-year-old male affected by a rare bacterial superinfection followed by an HZ infection. Our report aims at making clinicians aware of the various potential complications that can develop after an HZ infection.

Keywords: actinomycotic osteomyelitis; bacterial superinfection; herpes zoster; post-herpetic neuralgia; shingles.

Publication types

Case Reports