Abstract: IntroductionViral encephalitis caused by varicella zoster virus (VZV)mainly occurs in immunocompromised individuals and patients with VZV infection in the brain or nerves of the cervical or upper thoracic spinal cord.However,viral encephalitis caused by VZV affecting distant body parts,such as herpes zoster of the waist and abdomen,is rare.How herpes zoster virus reaches the central nervous system (CNS) is unclear.We herein present an atypical case of waist and abdomen herpes zoster infection that progressed to the CNS in a 48-year-old healthy,immunocompetent patient without brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) abnormalities,and may enrich the knowledge of viral encephalitis caused by herpes zoster.