Herpes zoster

Herpes zoster
Also called shingles, zona, and zoster. The culprit is the varicella-zoster virus. Primary infection with this virus causes chickenpox (varicella). At this time the virus infects nerves (namely, the dorsal root ganglia) where it remains latent (lies low) for years. It can then be reactivated to cause shingles with blisters over the distribution of the affected nerve accompanied by often intense pain and itching.

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herpes zos·ter -'zäs-tər n SHINGLES

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an acute, infectious, usually self-limited disease believed to represent activation of latent human herpesvirus 3 in those who have become partially immune after an attack of chickenpox. It involves the sensory ganglia and their areas of innervation, and is characterized by severe neuralgic pain along the distribution of the affected nerve with crops of clustered vesicles over the area of the corresponding dermatome; it is usually unilateral and confined to one dermatome or adjacent ones. Postherpetic neuralgia may be a complication. In immunocompromised patients it may disseminate and be fatal. Called also acute posterior ganglionitis, shingles, zona, and zoster.

Herpes zoster, with diffuse involvement of a dermatome.


Medical dictionary. 2011.

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Herpes zoster — Zoster redirects here. For the ancient Greek article of dress, see Zoster (costume). Shingles redirects here. For other uses, see Shingle (disambiguation). Herpes zoster Classification and external resources Herpes zoster blisters on the neck and …   Wikipedia

  • herpes zoster — herpes zóster herpes zoster m. patol. Zona. Medical Dictionary. 2011. herpes zoster Infección aguda causada por el …   Diccionario médico

  • herpes zoster — [zäs′tər] n. [L < herpes + zoster, shingles < Gr zōstēr, a girdle, akin to zōnē: see ZONE] a form of herpes that infects sensory nerves, causing pain and an eruption of blisters along the course of the affected nerve; shingles …   English World dictionary

  • Herpes zoster — Her pes zos ter, n. (Med.) same as {shingles}; a form of {herpes} caused by the varicella zoster virus. [PJC] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Herpès Zoster — ● Herpès Zoster synonyme de zona …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Herpes zóster — No debe confundirse con Expresión errónea: operador tan inesperado. Este artículo trata sobre una neuropatía con manifestaciones cutáneas. Para otra enfermedad también llamada «Fuego de San Antonio», véase ergotismo …   Wikipedia Español

  • Herpes Zoster — Klassifikation nach ICD 10 B02 Herpes zoster …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Herpes zoster — Klassifikation nach ICD 10 B02 Herpes zoster …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • herpes zoster — noun 1. eruptions along a nerve path often accompanied by severe neuralgia • Syn: ↑zoster, ↑shingles • Hypernyms: ↑herpes 2. a herpes virus that causes shingles • Syn: ↑herpes zoster virus …   Useful english dictionary

  • herpes zoster — hèr·pes zó·ster loc.s.m.inv., lat. TS med. infiammazione virale dei nervi con comparsa di vescicole molto dolorose sulla pelle in corrispondenza del decorso terminale delle fibre nervose, causata dallo stesso virus agente della varicella Sinonimi …   Dizionario italiano

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