J Korean Assoc Oral Maxillofac Surg.  2007 Apr;33(2):169-172.

Chronic osteomyelitis on mandible induced by trigeminal zoster

• Oh JH
• Yim JH

Abstract

The Varicella zoster virus is responsible for two common infectious diseases: chicken pox(Varicella) and shingles(Herpes zoster). Chicken pox is the primary infection. After the initial infection, the virus remains dormant in sensory ganglia until reactivation may occur decades later. The subsequent reactivation is Herpes zoster. Herpes zoster of the trigeminal nerve distribution manifests as painful, vesicle eruptions of the skin and mucosa innervated by the affected nerve. Oral vesicles usually appear after the skin manifestrations. Reports of osteomyelitis of jaw after trigeminal herpes zoster are extremely rare. We report a case of osteomyelitis on mandible caused by herpes zoster infection which was treated by antiviral drug, curettage. At 1 year post-operatively, mandibular mucosa had healed without recurrent sign. But post-herpetic neuralgia is remained.

Keyword

Varicella Zoster Virus; Osteomyelitis; Post-herpetic neuralgia

MeSH Terms

Chickenpox
Chickens
Communicable Diseases
Curettage
Ganglia, Sensory
Herpes Zoster*
Herpesvirus 3, Human
Jaw
Mandible*
Mucous Membrane
Neuralgia
Osteomyelitis*
Skin
Trigeminal Nerve