the dynamic natural skin care: herpes zoster

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Thursday, December 18

Herpes zoster infection

Home › Herpes zoster causes › Herpes zoster symptoms › Herpes zoster infection.

Herpes zoster (shingles) infection

Zoster infection is caused by the chickenpox virus, known as varicella-zoster virus (VZV). When a person is exposed to VZV for the first time, he develops chickenpox with symptoms of fever, widespread rash and blisters.

The individual develops partial immunity and the symptoms resolve by 10-15 days. However the virus is not completely eliminated from the body. The virus enters the nerve cells and lies dormant.

Once a person contracts chickenpox, he remains infected for life, though being asymptomatic. In some individuals the dormant virus gets reactivated causing blisters and pain in the dermatomic area. The exact cause of the reactivation of the virus is not known. Recurrent outbreaks of herpes zoster are rare and their occurrence indicates certain underlying serious multiple medical problems.

The reactivated virus starts replicating itself and the virions move along the nerve and reach the dermatome. After reaching the skin they cause rash and then blisters. The infection damages the nerve fibers and causes neuralgic pain. Though the blisters rupture and heal by about 2-3 weeks, the postherpetic neuralgia may last for several days, or last many months, even years.

herpes zoster infection on neck

Zoster infection can cause chickenpox in people who have not contracted chickenpox by that time. Skin injury at the dermatome sometimes revives the zoster. Secondary bacterial/fungal diseases can occur if the blister area is injured by scratching.

Herpes zoster in old age

Old age associated conditions and overall decrease in immunity may be the primary triggering factors for the revived infection. Old age conditions involving poor nutrition, protein malnutrition, decreased absorption and assimilation can lead to high susceptibility. With the increase in age the severity of the episode and intensity of neuralgic pain may increase many fold.

Immunosuppression

Individuals with immunosuppressive diseases and immunodeficiency disorders, such as hypogammaglobulinemia, agammaglobulinemia, HIV/AIDS and many types of cancers can suffer from recurrent VZV infection. Individuals with generalized autoimmune diseases are also vulnerable.

Patients taking immunosuppressive medicines as in the case of organ transplant are also vulnerable to shingles attack. The long term use of corticosteroids can also trigger zoster.

Complications

VZV infection sometimes involves nerves supplying the face and serious condition like herpes zoster ophthalmicus occur causing ophthalmic complications. The eye infection is a medical emergency which can lead to vision loss. Similarly affecting the inner ear, herpes zoster oticus can lead to hearing loss. Manifestation on facial nerves can also lead to partial/total facial paralysis.

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Saturday, December 13

Herpes zoster symptoms

Home › Herpes zoster causes › Herpes zoster signs and symptoms.
Herpes zoster (shingles) is a contagious disease caused by the varicella zoster virus (VZV). Herpes zoster manifests with typical symptoms.

It is characterized by a group of small inflammatory blisters with neuralgic pain. The primary infection by varicella zoster virus manifests as varicella (smallpox) with the symptoms of widespread vesicular rash and fever.

Though the patient recovers from the chickenpox after 10-15 days, the virus is not completely eliminated from the body. The herpes zoster virus enters the nervous system and lodges itself in the cerebral ganglia or dorsal root ganglia. It attains dormancy, without causing any symptoms, lasting for a few months to several years or even a lifetime.

The varicella zoster virus, due to unknown reasons, reemerges as shingles in some individuals. About 20% of those who had chickenpox in their childhood develop zoster. Zoster blisters erupt unilaterally along the path of innervation by the affected ganglia, affecting one side of the body, most often affecting the torso, neck, arms, and legs.

diagram showing the progression of symptoms of herpes zoster infection

Herpes zoster symptoms
The above diagram shows the stages in the progression of herpes zoster symptoms.
1. Itching and burning sensation followed by inflamed patches of bumps.
2. The bumps turn into blisters.
3. The blisters fill with fluid and burst.
4. healing phase starts and the blisters crust and disappear.
5. Persisting postherpetic neuralgia for a few days to several months.

Zoster with its symptoms can develop in varicella affected children as well as adults.

herpes zoster infection on neck

However individuals above fifty years of age are more prone for VZV infection, probably due to their decreasing immunity. With increase in age there may be recurrent episodes. Individuals with weakened immune system, under immunosuppressive medications and newborn are under high risk.

Herpes zoster symptoms

The reactivated virus particles move along the nerve and reach the skin dermatome causing a stripe of blisters and pain. The usual sequence of events and symptom progression in herpes zoster are as follows.

Pain, inflammation near the region of affected nerve roots. Some individuals may develop fever.
Within a few hours the nerve supplying to the skin from the nerve root gets inflamed with symptoms of pain and burning sensation along its length.

Sunday, November 30

What is herpes zoster - Definition of herpes zoster

Home › Epidermoid cyst removal › What is herpes zoster - Herpes zoster definition.

What is herpes zoster?

Herpes zoster, also known as shingles or zona, is a viral disease caused by the chickenpox virus, varicella zoster virus (VZV).

Herpes zoster virus as a primary infection causes chickenpox in children and young adults. After the episode of primary infection by VZV, causing body rash and blisters, the symptoms resolve in 6-10 days and the patient develops partial immunity. However the herpes virus is not eliminated from the body after the primary infection. The herpes virus remains latent in the nerve ganglia and nerve bodies.

Approximately, 20% of those who had chickenpox may develop shingles later on. The latency period of the herpes virus may last from years to decades. What activates this latent human herpesvirus 3 is not known. However certain triggering factors have been identified. Individuals of all age groups and genders may develop the herpes disease. However, the incidences of its recurrence are greater in older population. Infants, elderly people, transplant patients and those affected by immunosuppression due to diseases or medications are at increased risk.

What causes herpes zoster?

Shingles is caused by VZV. VZV belongs to the large family of DNA herpes viruses known as Herpesviridae. Herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2, VZV, Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, herpesvirus 6, herpesvirus 7, and Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus belong to the family Herpesviridae. All these viral groups are DNA viruses and once infected they remain in the body and can reemerge from latency to cause disease symptoms.

What are the herpes zoster symptoms?

The early symptoms of VZV herpes are fever, headache, body pain and malaise. They are followed by tingling, itching, prickling or burning sensations.

What is the treatment for herpes zoster?

Shingles resolves by itself after 7-10 days. The antiviral drugs such as acyclovir, valacyclovir, and famciclovir can reduce the intensity of the herpes episode and help in rapid healing if taken within three days of the start of symptoms. Herpes vaccine helps in reducing the intensity and recurrence of the episodes.

Definition

Definition by medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com: "an acute, unilateral, self-limited inflammatory disease of cerebral ganglia and the ganglia of posterior nerve roots and peripheral nerves in a segmented distribution, believed to represent activation of latent human herpesvirus 3 in those who have been rendered partially immune after a previous attack of chickenpox."

Definition by webmd.com: "Shingles is a painful skin rash. It is caused by the varicella zoster virus. Shingles usually appears in a band, a strip, or a small area on one side of the face or body."

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