RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of, risk factors for, and clinical course of herpes zoster (HZ) after bone marrow transplantation (BMT) in children. STUDY DESIGN: A total of 107 children with hematologic malignancy or solid tumor who underwent allogeneic or autologous BMT were studied retrospectively. RESULTS: Of the 107 patients, HZ developed in 35 (33%) after BMT; 31 (89%) of these 35 patients had localized HZ. The median onset of infection was day 96 after BMT, and 89% of cases of HZ occurred before day 365 after BMT. HZ developed in 26 (58%) of 45 patients (13/21 (62%) allogeneic and 13/24 (54%) autologous patients) with hematologic malignancy; most of these patients had undergone total body irradiation. Of 33 patients with solid tumor, HZ developed in 9 (27%). All patients with HZ were treated with acyclovir, and no patients died of complications directly resulting from HZ. CONCLUSION: Herpes zoster occurred earlier after BMT than in adults, and it occurred frequently in children who had hematologic malignancy and/or had undergone total body irradiation. Prompt antiviral therapy reduced the mortality rate and significant morbidity associated with HZ.