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Herpes zoster, also known as shingles, is caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), the same virus that causes varicella (chickenpox). Primary infection with VZV causes varicella. Once the illness resolves, the virus remains latent in the dorsal root ganglia.
The differential diagnosis for HZ includes herpes simplex virus, impetigo, candidiasis, contact dermatitis, insect bites, autoimmune blistering disease, dermatitis herpetiformis, and drug eruptions.
People with herpes zoster develop a rash that looks like chickenpox. It can cause itching, burning, and pain. With localized herpes zoster, the rash usually appears as a wide strip on one side of the body. With disseminated (more widespread) herpes zoster, the rash covers a wider area of the body.
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.
Although it is a condition unrelated to herpes, shingles is sometimes referred to as “herpes zoster,“ a nickname that references the shared family of the viruses that cause them. Within this viral family, only the herpes simplex virus causes the condition we know today as “herpes.
What causes herpes zoster? 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.
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).
Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, gets its name from both Latin and French words for belt, or girdle, and refers to girdle-like skin eruptions on the trunk. Anyone who's had chicken pox can develop this eruption. The reason is that the same virus that causes chicken pox causes zoster.
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.
There are four different stages of shingles, including a skin-blistering phase during which you can spread the disease to other people. Here's what you need to know about the different stages of shingles and the best way to treat and prevent this disease.
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.