Immunization, abrasion, and sunburn as localizing factors in chicken pox.

Three children had striking localization of varicella lesions to skin overlying a diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus toxoid (DPT) immunization injection site, a facial abrasion, and a sunburn of the trunk, respectively. Presumably, during the viremic stage of varicella, the virus passed from damaged blood vessels into the skin. A disabling myalgia in the thigh at the DPT site in one child may also have been the result of localization of the varicella virus in the muscle during the inapparent viremic stage. This suggests that an injection given during an occult viremia could trigger an unexpected reaction at the site.