Elsberg syndrome (ES) refers to the combination of myelitis and lumbosacral radiculitis associated with infection caused by the virus of the Herpesviridae family. We present a case of a 52-year-old man with a 9 months diagnosis of Crohn's disease, in use of infliximab with good disease control, complaining of 2 months history of progressive urinary retention and loss of sensation of the genital and left lower limb regions associated with varicella zoster virus (VZV) infection and recent HIV diagnosis.