Painful rash on the skin caused by the varicella-zoster virus.
The first time a person is infected, the herpes zoster virus causes chickenpox. It remains latent in certain nerves of the body until it reactivates later after the years causing shingles.
The most common associated symptoms are burning or itching which becomes painful and a blisters rash that generally follow a linear pattern on the skin.
The diagnosis is made by reviewing the patient's medical history and performing a complete physical examination.
There is no treatment to cure the infection of the varicella-zoster virus. The treatment goal is easing the pain and reduce the number of days of symptoms. There is an antiviral called acyclovir which prevents the virus from replicating, shortening the number of days of symptoms.
- Mary A Albrecht. Epidemiology and pathogenesis of varicella-zoster virus infection: Herpes zoster. UpToDate. Jul 21, 2016.
- Mary A Albrecht. Clinical manifestations of varicella-zoster virus infection: Herpes zoster. UpToDate. Aug 02, 2016.
- Mary A Albrecht. Treatment of herpes zoster in the immunocompetent host. UpToDate. Jul 21, 2016.
- Li Q, Chen N, Yang J, et al. Antiviral treatment for preventing postherpetic neuralgia. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2009; :CD006866.
- Lopez AS, Burnett-Hartman A, Nambiar R, et al. Transmission of a newly characterized strain of varicella-zoster virus from a patient with herpes zoster in a long-term-care facility, West Virginia, 2004. J Infect Dis 2008; 197:646.
- Whitley RJ. Infecciones por el virus de la varicela-zoster. Harrison. Manual de Medicina. 16º edición. 556-562.
