Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus in an Otherwise-Healthy, 16-Months-Old Child: Case Report

Abstract

Herpes zoster ophthalmicus is rarely seen in children. The incidence of herpes zoster in children is only 1.1 per 1000 person years and especially ophthalmic herpes zoster is even lower. We present a case of herpes zoster ophthalmicus in a 16-month-old male child who had not vaccinated for chickenpox. His cousin had chickenpox 6 months ago but our patient did not develop any rash or fever at that time. There was no history of chickenpox or any other maternal illness during pregnancy. We report this case to document the possibility of herpes zoster ophthalmicus as a rare condition in healthy children with a history of an unrecognized subclinical varicella infection. Copyright © 2011 by Türkiye Klinikleri.