Multiple pulmonary nodules after recovery from chickenpox in a patient with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia

A 61-year-old woman with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) was found to have multiple pulmonary nodules on an annual chest radiograph 4 months after recovery from chickenpox. To exclude the metastatic carcinoma, an open lung biopsy was performed. Histological examination disclosed isolated necrotic nodules surrounded by some lymphocytes and a few giant cells. These histological findings were compatible with healed varicella pneumonia and the DNA of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. We report a case of asymptomatic pulmonary involvement of VZV infection in a patient with CLL.