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Letter
“Ecstasy” induced immunosuppression and herpes zoster ophthalmicus
  1. O M Zwick1,
  2. D H Fischer2,
  3. J C Flanagan2
  1. 1UCSF-Department of Ophthalmology, 400 Parnassus Avenue, A-750, San Francisco, CA 94143–0344, USA
  2. 2Wills Eye Hospital, 840 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
  1. Correspondence to: Orin M Zwick MD, UCSF-Department of Ophthalmology, 400 Parnassus Avenue, A-750, San Francisco, CA 94143–0344, USA; ozwickmdyahoo.com

https://doi.org/10.1136/bjo.2004.061150

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    It is uncommon for younger patients to develop herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO) without underlying immunocompromise.

    3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, “ecstasy”) is a widely abused psychomotor stimulant shown to cause a transient immunosuppression.1–4 In this report, we present the relation between MDMA induced immune dysfunction and the development of HZO in a previously healthy young male.

    Case report

    A 24 year old African-American male without significant past medical history presented with an eruptive, vesicular rash on his left forehead and eyelid consistent with the diagnosis of herpes zoster ophthalmicus (fig 1). Although he reported using safe sexual practice and denied injecting drug use, he admitted using an oral drug, ecstasy, three times a day for 4 days before the development of his symptoms. He tested negative for HIV and underlying …

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