Varicella Precipitating Febrile Ulceronecrotic Mucha-Habermann Disease

We report a 9-year-old boy with skin lesions clinically and histologically compatible with pityriasis lichenoides et varioliformis acuta that evolved to the severe variant febrile ulceronecrotic Mucha-Habermann disease and finally to pityriasis lichenoides chronica. Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) was isolated in culture medium from the skin lesions and serum serology was positive for VZV. This is the first time that a virus has been isolated in culture in this condition.