Herpes-Zoster Meningoencephalitis

The meningoencephalitis that rarely complicates herpes zoster was observed in 8 patients. The illness was acute in 6 and relapsing in 2. Major symptoms were headache, ataxia, coma, and convulsions. However, most patients recovered. Corticosteroids were administered to 3 patients. Equally good results were obtained in the other patients who did not receive the steroids. In one of the latter patients, who died from another cause, the only brain lesion was small collections of leptomeningeal mononuclear cells. A reversible tissue reaction within the CNS would thus appear to be the cause of the disorder in some cases.