[Recurrent herpes with neuralgia and zones of cutaneous hypoesthesia]

A 52-year old man presented with recurrent Herpes simplex of the thigh and buttock of 30 years duration. The skin eruption was preceded by pain and sciatica. Surgical excision of the skin area involved modified the site of recurrence. During an attack, the patient developed severe pain and hypoaesthesia in the left half of his chest. The skin lesions were unmodified, and a type 2 Herpes simplex virus was isolated from a vesicle. A clinical examination performed 5 weeks later showed reduced sensitivity to pin prick in the previously painful D5 to D12 territory. Three points are of interest in this case: the site of recurrence moved after surgical excision, pain extended over a wide area and, most of all, persistent hypoaesthesia occurred during a recurrence.