Praktické lekárnictvo 2/2024

Herpes zoster, symptoms and therapy

Shingles (herpes zoster) is an acute segmental disease with skin and neurological manifestations, usually typical of the clinical picture and course, which is caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) of the herpesvirus group. It is an expression of reactivation of the virus, which persists in the sensitive ganglia of the human body after primoinfection with chickenpox. Reactivation occurs as a result of immunosuppression due to age, disease, immunosuppressive treatment or another stress factor. Since it is classified as precancerous, screening patients is recommended after shingles. The course of the diseases may be more severe in individuals with a compromised immune system, and it may even be associated with serious to fatal complications. Due to the location of the process, the course of herpes zoster trigeminalis is accompanied by additional symptoms, the most serious of which may involve eye problems and extreme trigeminal pain. Inadequate or late onset of therapy results in postherpetic neuralgia. Due to the intensity and the fact that it may even last several months, they are very bothersome and debilitating. In the older literature, shingles is even classified as a cause of suicide. Much progress has been made in the prevention of shingles in recent years. This article discusses the etiology, clinical signs, and current therapeutic recommendations.

Keywords: shingles, clinical picture, treatment