Chickenpox with delayed contralateral hemiparesis caused by cerebral angiitis

Abstract

Chickenpox and herpes zoster ophthalmicus are caused by the same virus. Herpes zoster ophthalmicus can be followed by contralateral hemiparesis, which is thought to be caused by spread of varicella-zoster virus to blood vessels contiguous to the trigeminal nerve and its branches. We report what we believe to be the first case of a patient with chickenpox followed by hemiparesis in whom there was angiographic evidence of an associated vasculitis similar to that found with herpes zoster ophthalmicus.