{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,9]],"date-time":"2026-10-09T07:30:06Z","timestamp":1791531006912,"version":"4.3.4"},"reference-count":8,"publisher":"BMJ","content-domain":{"domain":["bmj.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["BMJ Case Reports"],"accepted":{"date-parts":[[2017,12,14]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>Varicella virus is a neurotropic virus that can reactivate later in life to cause zoster or shingles. Typically, it affects elderly, immunocompromised population. We report an unusual case of an immunocompetent young adult presenting with occipital headache and zoster rash, without preherpetic and postherpetic neuralgia, who was diagnosed with varicella meningitis on Polymerase chain reaction (PCR). He was treated with intravenous acyclovir and later discharged on famciclovir. Diagnosis of varicella meningitis is difficult in the absence of typical features of zoster rash and requires high index of suspicion. Rapid diagnostic tests including varicella PCR and antithecal antibody testing can help in the confirmation of varicella zoster meningitis.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1136\/bcr-2017-223257","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2018,1,5]],"date-time":"2018-01-05T13:47:22Z","timestamp":1515160042000},"page":"bcr-2017-223257","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/crossmarkpolicy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":8,"title":["Varicella zoster meningitis: an atypical case of zoster reactivation in immunocompetent young adult"],"prefix":"10.1136","volume":"2018","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7618-4289","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Muhammad Farhan","family":"Khaliq","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Tanureet","family":"Kochar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Molly","family":"John","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"239","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2018,1,5]]},"reference":[{"key":"2025042702235791000_2018.jan05_1.bcr-2017-223257.1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s11910-009-0064-z"},{"key":"2025042702235791000_2018.jan05_1.bcr-2017-223257.2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s11940-013-0246-5"},{"key":"2025042702235791000_2018.jan05_1.bcr-2017-223257.3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1001\/archinte.1997.00440320105010"},{"key":"2025042702235791000_2018.jan05_1.bcr-2017-223257.4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Kangath RV , Lindeman TE , Brust K . Herpes zoster as a cause of viral meningitis in immunocompetent patients. BMJ Case Rep 2013. doi: 10.1136\/bcr-2012-007575. [Epub ahead of print 9 Jan 2013].doi:10.1136\/bcr-2012-007575","DOI":"10.1136\/bcr-2012-007575"},{"key":"2025042702235791000_2018.jan05_1.bcr-2017-223257.5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"591","DOI":"10.4103\/0976-3147.185506","article-title":"Meningitis with polymerase chain reaction for varicella zoster positivity in cerebrospinal flid of a young immunocompetent adult","volume":"7","author":"Gupta","year":"2016","journal-title":"J Neurosci Rural Pract"},{"key":"2025042702235791000_2018.jan05_1.bcr-2017-223257.6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"705","DOI":"10.3345\/kjp.2009.52.6.705","article-title":"A case of acute aseptic meningitis associated with herpes zoster","volume":"52","author":"Kim","year":"2009","journal-title":"Korean J Pediatr"},{"key":"2025042702235791000_2018.jan05_1.bcr-2017-223257.7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S1386-6532(03)00005-2"},{"key":"2025042702235791000_2018.jan05_1.bcr-2017-223257.8","first-page":"1","article-title":"Varicella zoster virus meningitis in a young immunocompetent adult without rash: a misleading clinical presentation","volume":"2014","author":"Pasedag","year":"2014","journal-title":"Case Rep Neurol Med"}],"container-title":["BMJ Case Reports"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/syndication.highwire.org\/content\/doi\/10.1136\/bcr-2017-223257","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,4,27]],"date-time":"2025-04-27T09:24:11Z","timestamp":1745745851000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/casereports.bmj.com\/lookup\/doi\/10.1136\/bcr-2017-223257"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2018,1,5]]},"references-count":8,"alternative-id":["10.1136\/bcr-2017-223257"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/bcr-2017-223257","relation":{},"ISSN":["1757-790X"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1757-790X","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2018,1,5]]}}}