Zosteriform herpes simplex

Abstract

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection, though most commonly seen in the oral, perioral and genital areas, can occur anywhere on the body. After primary infection, HSV then establishes latency in sensory nerve ganglia and reactivates intermittently, precipitated by various factors. These reactivations may be recurrent and appear in a dermatomal distribution, mimicking herpes zoster, often leading to misdiagnosis if no confirmatory laboratory tests are carried out. We report a 65-year-old man who presented with recurrent episodes of a "zosteriform eruption", who was initially clinically diagnosed and treated as for recurrent herpes zoster, but was subsequently found to have recurrent herpes simplex virus type 2 after laboratory investigations.