Computed tomography of the brain in 10 patients with severe cerebral malaria, 5 of whom died, showed evidence of cerebral oedema in only 2 fatal cases. Small areas of altered density were seen in 4 cases; these were not associated with focal neurological signs and were still visible in convalescent scans in 2 survivors. 4 patients, including 1 of the fatalities, had completely normal scans. Cerebral oedema may occur in severe cerebral malaria but is not a consistent feature of living patients and cannot, therefore, always be the cause of their coma.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed1983

Outbreak of chickenpox from a patient with immunosuppressed herpes zoster in hospital.

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Chickenpox↗

PubMed1983

High-dose intravenous acyclovir in the treatment of zoster: a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

In a randomised, double-blind, controlled trial, 40 patients with zoster of short duration (rash present for less than three days) were given either 10 mg/kg acyclovir (20) or placebo (20) intravenously three times daily for five days. Pain was reduced in the treatment group both in the acute phase and at follow-up, when compared with the placebo group, but this difference did not reach statistically significant levels. Healing of the lesions was also better, but not significantly so, in the acyclovir group. No complications of the disease were seen in the six cases of ophthalmic zoster given acyclovir whereas, of the four cases in the placebo group, two developed seventh cranial nerve palsies and one secondary glaucoma. No evidence of renal or other major toxicity was detected in the acyclovir group, although three patients developed mild thrombophlebitis. We conclude that acyclovir, given by the route and in the dose and frequency as used in this study, is free from major side effects, but is only of marginal benefit in the treatment of zoster.

Acyclovir↗

PubMed1981