Abdominal pseudohernia caused by herpes zoster: 3 case reports and a review of the literature

Abstract

Herpes zoster (HZ), also known as shingles, occurs as a result of reactivation of varicella-zoster virus. The virus initially causes infection during childhood as varicella, or chickenpox, and becomes dormant in the dorsal root ganglia of the nerves. Once the virus is reactivated, a vesicular eruption appears along a dermatome and can cause pain.1 Postherpetic neuralgia is a well-known complication of HZ; however, motor complications are seldom recognized by many physicians. Motor complications often occur in the muscles of the head, trunk, or extremities and may also involve the visceral nerves, causing colonic pseudo-obstruction. The pathogenesis of such complications is still debated, but it is speculated that viral spreading to the ventral root of the nerves might cause motor complications.1 Here, we report 3 cases of pseudohernia as a result of motor complications of HZ.