Introduction: Varicella in childhood is a self-limiting disease which usually follows a benign course. However, a considerable number of complications occur, particularly involving the nervous system. On rare occasions hemiparesis has been reported following an ischemic cerebrovascular accident related to varicella.
Clinical case: We report the case of a 4 year old boy who presented with right hemiparesis eight days after the onset of varicella. CAT and MR showed a cerebral infarct involving the left caudate nucleus, putamen and internal capsule. Other possible causes of cerebral infarct were ruled out. Four years later he had slight residual right hemiparesis. The pathogenesis may have been due to vasculitis of the intracranial arteries caused by direct invasion of the vessels by virus from the nearby nerve tissue. Another theory suggest similarities with moyamoya disease, suggesting that lesions of the head and neck stimulate the superior cervical ganglion and this, together with the production of circulating immuno-complexes may be the cause of the vasculopathy of the intracranial blood vessels.
Conclusions: In most cases of cerebrovascular accidents occurring in childhood the cause is unknown. However, it is important to discover the cause since the risk of recurrence often depends on the primary disease. Once other commoner causes have been excluded, one should ask whether there is a history of varicella, since the prognosis is generally good and recurrence uncommon.