ABSTRACT
Recently, two cases of oral herpes zoster (HZ) following COVID-19 vaccines were reported. It was suggested that COVID-19 vaccine-related oral HZ cases might be missed or misdiagnosed as stomatitis or isolated oral herpes. In this report, five cases of oral HZ following COVID-19 vaccinations are presented. Four cases were observed on the hard palate (V2), and one case was found on the mandible (V3). Four patients did not receive any treatment for their oral HZ, but one patient also had skin reactions on her right orbit and ear and was thus treated with an antiviral drug. As these cases were seen during such a short period of time and in one practice, the relationship with the COVID-19 vaccination appears to be related.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: In this review, cases of herpes zoster (HZ) infection following receipt of COVID-19 vaccines will be analyzed. We also present two cases of oral HZ following the COVID-19 vaccine and discuss this clinical anatomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A database search using PubMed was conducted in August 2021 and 20 articles were found to be eligible for review. Patient data and vaccine information were analyzed. In addition, two cases of oral HZ infection following the receipt of COVID-19 vaccines are presented. RESULTS: A total of 399 cases were identified. The affected dermatomes mimicked the regular distribution of HZ. For the dermatomes of the face, the various reports used different ways to describe the areas involved; CNV, CNV1, CNV2, CNV3, lower jaw, forehead, and under the eyebrow (CNV, 2 cases; CNV1, 4 cases; CNV2, 3 cases; and CNV3, 3 cases). Some patients who had a history of varicella zoster virus vaccination had HZ following the COVID-19 vaccination. Two patients with oral HZ following vaccination were found to have involvement of the greater palatine nerve. CONCLUSIONS: Vaccine-related HZ cases have been reported worldwide. Although many studies with a larger number of cases are ongoing, detailed information can be obtained from case reviews as reported herein.