The Unusual Suspect - Herpes Zoster as the Culprit for Severe Abdominal Pain. A case report.

Authors

Edward Lovering, Medstar Health, Department of Internal Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.Follow
Ahmad Asif, Medstar Health, Department of Internal Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
Sean Sheih, Medstar Health, Department of Internal Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
Samuel B Holzman, Medstar Health, Department of Infectious Diseases, Baltimore, Maryland.
Yani Zhang, Medstar Health, Department of Internal Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.

Abstract

Reactivation of herpes zoster leading to disseminated and visceral organ involvement is an uncommon phenomenon and almost always associated with immunocompromised patients. Visceral herpes zoster is a challenging diagnosis to make as patients typically present with severe abdominal pain which precedes the typical rash of herpes zoster. We describe the case of a 68-year-old female who presented to the emergency department with abdominal pain and was subsequently diagnosed with disseminated herpes zoster and found to have underlying monoclonal gammopathy.

Recommended Citation

Lovering, Edward; Asif, Ahmad; Sheih, Sean; Holzman, Samuel B; and Zhang, Yani (2025) "The Unusual Suspect - Herpes Zoster as the Culprit for Severe Abdominal Pain. A case report.," Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives: Vol. 15: Iss. 2, Article 14.
DOI: 10.55729/2000-9666.1462
Available at: https://scholarlycommons.gbmc.org/jchimp/vol15/iss2/14