Shingles following infliximab infusion

Abstract

DISCUSSION Adult varicella can be a severe illness complicated by pneumonia, encephalitis, hepatitis, thrombocytopenia, and prolonged fever. 3 Blood levels of TNFα have been shown to be raised in patients with acute varicella infection. 4 In vitro studies have shown that replication of varicella zoster virus and varicella zoster virus antigen expression are inhibited by TNFα and that this antiviral activity can be completely blocked by monoclonal antibodies against TNFα.