Herpes Zoster

What is Herpes Zoster

Varicella zoster virus causes two distinct clinical entities - varicella ( chickenbox) and herps zoster (shingles). Herpes Zoster presents as a dermatomal vesicular rash, usually associated with severe pain. After the initial exposure, herpes zoster lies dormant in certain nerve fibers. It is a sporadic disease and is the concequence of reactivation of latent VZV from the dorsal root ganglia. Herpes Zoster is also called shingles, is characterized by a unilateral vesicular eruption within a dermatone, often associated with severe pain. In immunosuppressed patients, herpes zoster may disseminate, producing lesions beyond the dermatome, visceral lesions, and encephalitis. Disseminated Zoster is a serious, sometimes life-threatening complication

Most patients with Herpes Zoster have no history of recent exposure to other individuals with smae infection. Because of the layout of the nerves that herpes zoster resides in, it only affects one side of the body or face during an outbreak.

Herpes Zoster occurs at all ages, but its incidence is highest among individuals in the sixth through eighth decades of life.

Treatment of Herpes Zoster

Patients from Herpes Zoster benefit from oral antiviral therapy, as evidenced by accelerated healing of lesions and resolution of Herpes Zoster associated pain with acyclovir, valacyclovir. If you have too much pain, we can order a prescription painkiller to take until the pain subsides. The pain is caused by inflammation of a nerve. Cortisone taken by mouth is sometimes used in treating the nerve inflammation.