Herein we describe an episode of focal varicella-zoster virus (VZV) encephalitis in a healthy young man with neither rash nor radicular pain. The symptoms began with headaches and seizures, after which magnetic resonance imaging detected a single hyperintense lesion in the left temporal lobe. Because of the provisional diagnosis of a brain tumor, the lesion was excised and submitted for pathological examination. No tumor was found. But the tissue immunostained positively for VZV antigens, and wild-type VZV sequences were detected. In short, this case represents VZV reactivation, most likely in the trigeminal ganglion, in the absence of clinical herpes zoster.
Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science
2
6%
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
1
3%
Agricultural and Biological Sciences
1
3%
Immunology and Microbiology
1
3%
Other
3
10%
Unknown
7
23%
Attention Score in Context
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 3. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 29 May 2025.
All research outputs
#12,527,291
of 34,763,505 outputs
Outputs from Journal of Infectious Diseases
#11,334
of 19,263 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#102,483
of 266,817 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Journal of Infectious Diseases
#83
of 122 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 34,763,505 research outputs across all sources so far. This one is in the 37th percentile – i.e., 37% of other outputs scored the same or lower than it.
So far Altmetric has tracked 19,263 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a lot more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 17.0. This one is in the 16th percentile – i.e., 16% of its peers scored the same or lower than it.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 266,817 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one is in the 40th percentile – i.e., 40% of its contemporaries scored the same or lower than it.
We're also able to compare this research output to 122 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one is in the 24th percentile – i.e., 24% of its contemporaries scored the same or lower than it.
