Disseminated infection with varicella- zoster virus (VZV) is a rare but well recognized complication after renal transplantation. Infection develops either as primary varicella infection (chicken pox) or as a reactivation of the virus in the form of herpes zoster (disseminated shingles). We report our experience in 8 renal transplant recipients (RTR) with disseminated VZV infection. Disseminated VZV infection occurred in 8 RTR among (#) (0.85%) during the past 10 years. Among these 6 (75%) were primary varicella infection and 2(25%) were disseminated herpes zoster. All the subjects were on triple immunosuppression with cyclosporin, prednisolone and azathioprine (2) or mycophenolate mofetil (6). The duration after transplantation at the time of development of VZV infection ranged from 7 to 102 months. All were treated with high dose intravenous acyclovir in addition to decrease/discontinuation of immunosuppressive medications. Presentation with sever abdominal pain was typically present in the 2 subjects who had severe disseminated disease leading to mortality. Sever disseminated intravascular coagulation, hepatic impairment, pneumonitis and graft dysfunction were characteristically present in the 2 RTR who expired. Disseminated VZV infection leads to high mortality in RTR. Post exposure prophylactic passive immunization and routine pretransplant active immunization in children and in adults with negative or low VZV antibodies should be recommended to prevent this life threatening infection.