Postherpetic pruritus in a child with retinoblastoma.

Herpes zoster is a painful neurocutaneous disease caused by the reactivation of the varicella zoster virus, and it can develop any time after a primary infection, which usually occurs during childhood. A variety of immunocompromised patient populations are known to be at increased risk for herpes zoster. Postherpetic pruritus is a serious complication, which may last after the infection, and has the potential to cause injury and disability. The medical literature on postherpetic pruritus is very limited. This is a case report of a six-year-old child who developed postherpetic pruritus lasting three months, which responded to topical urea treatment.