What is the prognosis of Herpes Zoster?

The herpes zoster is usually a self-limited box that resolves spontaneously in one or two weeks. In some patients, postherpetic neuralgia can persist for variable duration. In immunocompromised patients risk of spread of the virus with other organ involvement and worse prognosis. Hence the importance of early diagnosis and treatment in these patients. Regarding the location, ocular herpes has a worse prognosis for the rest, about the possibility of evolving ceguera.Es important to note that herpes zoster is an infectious disease during their lifetime should avoid contact with non-have been in contact with the virus before, especially if they are immunosuppressed or pregnant women.

What is the treatment of Herpes Zoster?

The treatment of herpes zoster with antiviral drugs is made orally or intravenously, but not always necessary to treat it, because it resolves spontaneously in about 7 days.

Treatment is indicated mainly in immunosuppressed patients, the risk of spreading the virus to other organs. These patients required the use of intravenous treatment. It is also recommended treatment with oral antiviral drugs in patients over 50 years, to reduce the likelihood of developing postherpetic neuralgia (brivudine, acyclovir, valacyclovir, famciclovir).

It is important to note that the treatment is effective if started within 72 hours of onset of vesicles and to be avoided superinfection of the lesions by the use of topical antiseptics.

Postherpetic neuralgia, if present, can be treated with analgesics and, if no improvement can be used other antiepileptic drugs such as antidepressants.

What are the symptoms of Herpes Zoster?

The patient feels a tingling sensation or pain in the skin area (preferably the trunk) and 4 or 5 days later, a reddening of the skin in that area on that spring vesicles are arranged in groups. During this phase the lesions are highly infectious because the virus is inside the vesicles. After 7 to 10 days the lesions dried, forming a yellowish-brown crusts are removed, sometimes leaving a residual scar.

The territories that are most often affected are the trunk, thigh or the eye region. The latter has a greater gravity to be a risk of corneal ulcers leading to ceguera.En occasions, after the episode of herpes zoster residual pain may persist in that location that lasts for days, months and even years, called neuralgia Postherpetic. This happens most often in individuals whose age exceeds 50 years.

Who can get Herpes Zoster?

It occurs mainly in adults but is becoming more frequent its occurrence in children. To suffer it is necessary to have previously been in contact with the virus and have had chickenpox. The frequency of occurrence of this disease and its severity are greater in individuals who are immunosuppressed, either by treatment with chemotherapy or radiation therapy or immunosuppressive drugs and transplant patients. Also included in this group of patients with AIDS and those with tumors or other conditions that determine a state of immunosuppression. However, it is also common to see herpes zoster in immunocompetent persons in situations of weakness or tiredness.

What is it?

It is a skin infection caused by a microorganism called varicella-zoster virus (VZV). The virus is so named because it is the agent responsible for both chickenpox and herpes zoster. Usually the first contact we have with VZV in childhood and manifests clinically as chickenpox. After this infection, the virus migrates to nerve endings from the skin to the lymph and there is latent, reappearing on the skin in certain situations giving rise to the so-called herpes zoster.

Treatment of Herpes Zoster

It may not require treatment for herpes zoster and having a spontaneous cure, what can be done is a treatment for symptomatic relief where drugs are used for pain: acyclovir, for example, is a drug used to shorten the course and decrease pain, reduce complications, or protect the individual who does not have adequate immune system. Desciclovir, famciclovir, valacyclovir, and penciclovir are similar to the above named and are used to treat this type of herpes. Treatment with these drugs can be started within 24 hours of the onset of pain before the blisters, usually, they are administered in oral doses four times higher than those recommended for herpes simplex or genital herpes, and people with complex cases of herpes by not responding to oral drugs, will be delivered dose intravenous acyclovir.

Symptoms of Herpes Zoster

After being infected with chickenpox, the virus is found in the body in a lethargic state in the nerve tracts that emerge from the column, when the virus reactivates, it spreads along this tract, causing pain or burning sensation. The characteristic rash of herpes zoster appears two or three days after the virus reaches the skin, it is in the form of red patches with small blisters (vesicles) on the skin, which bears some resemblance to chickenpox in form initial. The eruption grows in the next five days and then the blisters rupture, leading to small sores, which then begin to dry and form scabs that will release in two or three weeks, leaving pink skin healing process.

These lesions usually appear along a single dermatome and are placed on one side of the body (unilateral), the trunk is the most affected area where you can see a rectangular belt of rash. The lesions may also manifest in the body or face, herpes zoster affects the trigeminal nerve and therefore can cause injuries to the mouth or eyes and in the latter case causing permanent blindness (if untreated). If the facial nerve is severely affected may cause Ramsay Hunt syndrome with facial paralysis, hearing loss, loss of taste on half of the tongue and lesions around the ear and ear canal, this disease may involve the genitals or upper leg. Shingles can be spread by direct contact to a person who has not had chickenpox and has no immunity, the herpes can strike at any age but usually occurs in adults over 70 years.

What is Herpes Zoster?

Herpes zoster is an acute viral infection caused by a virus called varicella zoster that causes a rash of painful blisters. This is also known as herpes shingles and as stated above to be produced by the same virus that produces chickenpox, it becomes dormant in the body after having contracted the disease. We can say that herpes zoster is the result of the reactivation of the virus after a certain number of years, the cause of this reactivation is unknown but many experts agree that is associated with aging, stress or immune system disorders, usually occurs only once and never used.

It is good to note that if you or your child has not contracted chickenpox and has never ever been vaccinated against it, is likely to be exposed to this type of herpes and can be a severe case.