Herpes zoster, also known as shingles, is caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), the same virus that causes varicella (chickenpox).
Herpes zoster (shingles) is an acute, cutaneous viral infection caused by the reactivation of varicella-zoster virus (VZV), a herpesvirus that is the cause of varicella (chickenpox).
The differential diagnosis for HZ includes herpes simplex virus, impetigo, candidiasis, contact dermatitis, insect bites, autoimmune blistering disease, dermatitis herpetiformis, and drug eruptions.
Disseminated herpes zoster is usually defined as a generalized eruption of more than 10-12 extradermatomal vesicles occurring 7-14 days after the onset of classic dermatomal herpes zoster. Typically, it is clinically indistinguishable from varicella (chickenpox).
Genital herpes is caused by herpes simplex 2. The condition we call shingles is caused by herpes zoster. Herpes zoster is the same viral infection that causes chicken pox, and the herpes zoster virus can live in the body for years after the case of chicken pox is gone, and re-emerge as the painful blisters of shingles.
Most shingles rashes appear around your midsection, but they can also appear on your neck, on your face, or around your eyes. Some people with shingles never develop a rash at all. Symptoms of herpes include: tingling, itching, or burning before blisters form.
Herpes zoster is caused by the reactivation of the chickenpox virus. After a person has had chickenpox, the virus lies dormant in certain nerves for many years.
Stages of Shingles The second, or acute, phase is characterized by a dermatomal rash, often accompanied by unbearable itching, pain, and allodynia (site pain in response to innocuous stimuli such as clothing or wind). The rash typically lasts 7 to 10 days, with the majority of patients healing within 4 weeks.
Shingles can sometimes be mistaken for another skin conditions, such as hives, psoriasis, or eczema. Share on Pinterest A doctor should always be consulted if shingles is suspected. The characteristics of a rash may help doctors identify the cause.
Shingles' clinical manifestations are divided into 3 distinct phases: preeruptive, acute eruptive, and chronic. The preeruptive phase (or preherpetic neuralgia stage) usually lasts about 48 hours but can stretch to 10 days in some cases.
This disease is caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), which may be dormant in the sensory ganglia of the cranial nerve or in the dorsal root ganglia after a previous varicella infection.
In general, as long as the lesion can be covered, a person with shingles does not need to stay home from work or school. Health care workers and others working with high-risk individuals should remain home from work until the blisters have scabbed over.