Shingles Herpes Zoster

Shingles is commonly known as herpes zoster. It is a viral illness brought on by the varicella-zoster virus reactivating in the sensory or spinal ganglia of cranial nerves following a prior chicken pox infection.

Etiology

Upon reactivation, the virus replicates in the nerve cell body and virions are released from the cell and carried down the nerve to areas of the skin innervated by this ganglion.

Pathophysiology

Dermatological involvement is afferent and follows the dermatome. The lumbar and cervical spine are most often involved, but movements are rarely involved. The infection is contagious to people who do not have previous immunity to varicella zoster, but transmission rates are low.

Evaluation

Shingles is clinically diagnosed with burning pain, characteristic morphology and distribution. The herpes simplex virus can occasionally cause a rash in a pattern called herpes simplex zoster.

Treatment / administration

Antiviral therapy promotes lesion resolution, relieves acute pain, and helps prevent postherpetic neuralgia, especially in older patients. Antiviral drugs used to treat shingles include acyclovir 800 mg 5 times a day for 5 days, valacyclovir 1 g 3 times a day for 5 days, and famciclovir 500 mg 3 times a day for 7 days.

Our Shingles Herpes Zoster Test Package Includes: