Herpes zoster infection and Ogilvie's syndrome in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with hypogammaglobulinemia

Abstract

The case of a 43-year-old male with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (stage IV B), and hypo-IgG and IgM, who developed acute colonic pseudo-obstruction or Ogilvie's syndrome during chemotherapy, is presented. The simultaneous occurrence of a unilateral segmental vesicular rash indicative of herpes zoster infection suggests an etiopathogenetic relationship between the colonic pseudo-obstruction and herpetic involvement of the motor celiac sympathetic ganglia. The rapid resolution of the abdominal dilation and the functional recovery from the colonic pseudo-obstruction after anti-viral therapy is also consistent with the diagnostic hypothesis.