Zosteriform Staphylococcus aureus Cutaneous Infection: Report of Two Patients With Dermatomal Bacterial Infection

The aim of this study was to describe cutaneous infections, which are zosteriform in distribution, including two patients with dermatomal Staphylococcus aureus infection. Herpes zoster infectious lesions usually occur in a dermatomal distribution. Other viruses, such as herpes simplex virus, can also appear with zosteriform lesions and closely mimic the clinical presentation of herpes zoster. Additionally, other skin infections, less commonly, are zosteriform. Two patients who developed zosteriform S aureus skin infection are described. A medical literature search for zosteriform dermatomal infections yielded other cutaneous infections with a zosteriform presentation. Two patients had S aureus and methicillin-resistant S aureus infection with skin lesions occupying the T11-T12 dermatomes and the T4 dermatome, respectively. They responded to antibacterial agents and adjuvant therapy. Patients with viral, fungal, and spirochete zosteriform infections are summarized. In addition to varicella-zoster virus infection, zosteriform skin infection can occur with viral (varicella-zoster virus, herpes simplex virus, and Epstein-Barr virus), superficial (dermatophyte), and deep (phaeohyphomycosis and zygomycosis) fungal, and bacterial (S aureus and methicillin-resistant S aureus) infections. These infections should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a zosteriform infection that does not present with the classic clinical picture for herpes zoster or that does not respond to standard treatments for varicellazoster virus.