Background: Leukemeia and lymphoproliferative disease are associated with a high risk of varicela-zoster virus (VZV) infection. Although infrequent, visceral involvement can be fatal. We report two cases of patients presenting severe VZV infection after bone marrow transplantation.
Case reports: The first patient was a 42-year old man who received an allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for chronic myelogenous leukemia. A severe graft-versus-host reaction occurred. Three months after discontinuing VZV prophylaxis, VZV transverse myelitis was diagnosed, leading to death despite prompt treatment with acyclovir. The second patient was a 42-year-old woman treated with autologous bone marrow transplantation for lymphoma. She developed acute viral pancreatitis one month after discontinuing VZV prophylaxis. Recovery was achieved with intravenous treatment.
Discussion: These two cases illustrate the potential gravity of VZV infection after bone marrow transplantation. These observations point to the need for revisiting the duration of VZV prophylaxis.