About
Shingles (herpes zoster) is a viral infection caused by reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus—the same virus behind chickenpox—leading to a painful rash, typically after the virus lies dormant in nerve cells for years.​
Key Facts
- Affects anyone who had chickenpox, but risk rises sharply after age 50, with about 1 in 3 people developing it lifetime.​
- Main symptom: painful, blistering rash on one side of body (often torso, face, or waist as a stripe), with burning pain, tingling, fever, or fatigue.​
- Triggers include weakened immunity (from age, stress, HIV, cancer, or meds), but exact cause often unclear.​
Complications
- Postherpetic neuralgia (lingering nerve pain) in some cases; 1-4% hospitalized, mostly older adults or immunocompromised; fewer than 100 US deaths yearly.​
- Rare issues: eye damage (emergency if near eyes), bacterial infections, pneumonia, or facial paralysis (Ramsay Hunt).​
Prevention & Treatment
- Vaccine available to prevent shingles and reduce severity.​
- Antivirals (if started early) shorten duration; cover rash to avoid spreading virus to chickenpox-naive people.​
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