1) What is Herpes zoster (Shingles) ?
small blisters with itching and burning pain
----- a stripe or belt-like pattern along with rib.
2) Commonly occurs on the torso(65%), but can appear on the face, eyes (20%)
-------or other parts of the body(15%).
Herpes zoster(the orbit of the eye and frontal head;
the ophthalmic division of the trigeminal nerve)
--------------✳ Ramsay Hunt syndrome: if affect the facial nerve to the
vestibulocochlear nerve, resulting the hearing loss and vertigo.
Herpes zoster(back region)
Herpes zoster(Thigh region)
3) The causative agent: Varicella zoster virus (=VZV )
Electron-microscopic image(white bar=100nm)
Herpes zoster occurs only in person who suffered from Chickenpox.
After recovered, the virus live in the spinal nerve ganglia( There are 8 cervical nerves,
12 thoracic nerves, 5 lumbar nerves and 5 sacral nerves) adjacent to the spinal cord.
When a person have a stress or aging, the VZV is reactivated and go through the
nerve and rise to the skin regions.
4) Age: the majority of sufferers are older persons. Rare in infant.
5) Treatment ) i) Topical ointment: the mixture of 10% Zinc oxide and 2% phenol.
---------------- -ii) Antiviral drugs: Acyclovir, Valaciclovir
----------------- ☆ The rash and pain usually subside within one month in child, but
--------------------- some elderly patients develops a painful condition. In such case,
----------------------Please ask doctors.
Any questions: write to Keiji Hagiwara, MD
---------------------------------Kami-Ube Pediatric Clinic,
---------------------------------Ube 755-0097, Japan
---------------------------------keijihagiwara@gmail.com