Shingles

About Shingles

Shingles herpes zoster is caused by reactivation of the varicella zoster virus VZV, the same virus that causes chickenpox. After a person recovers from chickenpox, the virus remains dormant in dorsal root ganglia. Reactivation, often decades later, causes a painful blistering rash typically on one side of the body following a dermatome. The rash usually crusts over within 7 to 10 days and clears within 2 to 4 weeks. The most common complication is postherpetic neuralgia PHN, severe pain in the affected area lasting months or years after the rash resolves. PHN affects a minority of people with shingles, with risk increasing markedly with age. Other complications include vision loss if shingles affects the eye herpes zoster ophthalmicus, hearing problems Ramsay Hunt syndrome, and rarely disseminated zoster or neurological complications. Risk factors for reactivation include age over 50, immunosuppression, stress, and certain medications. Antiviral treatment acyclovir, valacyclovir, famciclovir is most effective when started early, ideally within about three days of rash onset, and can reduce severity and duration. Shingles near the eye needs prompt medical assessment. The shingles vaccine Shingrix, a recombinant zoster vaccine, is approximately 90 percent effective in trials and is offered to older adults and some immunocompromised adults, with eligibility ages varying by country.