Cutaneous granulomatous vasculitis after herpes zoster infection showing polyarteritis nodosa-like features.

Various cutaneous lesions have been described after herpes zoster infection, such as lymphomas, pseudolymphoma and granulomatous conditions (granuloma annulare, tuberculoid granuloma, sarcoidosis). However, granulomatous vasculitis is an extremely rare sequel. We now describe a case of superficial granulomatous vasculitis with deep 'polyarteritis nodosa (PAN)-like' arteritis that developed after herpes zoster infection. Polymerase chain reaction did not detect genome of the herpes virus. We suggest that this condition could be an immune response to viral proteins.