INTRODUCTION Postherpetic neuralgia and segmental paresis represent rare complications of herpes zoster infection. Recurrent herpes zoster is also rare and occurs within the first 3 years of the beginning of the illness in only 1.40% of cases but it is generally higher in cases of chronic lymphatic leukemia (3.5%). CASE REPORT We presented a patient with lymphatic leukemia who during the remi...

Herpes zoster is characterized by unilateral grouped vesicles along the distribution of a single dermatome. Disseminated herpes zoster usually is defined as a generalized eruption of more than 20 extra-dermatomal vesicles occurring within a week of the onset of classic dermatomal herpes zoster. It occurs chiefly in old or debilitated individuals, and especially in patients with underlying malig...

Although varicella vaccine is given to clinically stable human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected children, its effectiveness is unknown. We assessed its effectiveness by reviewing the medical records of closely monitored HIV-infected children, including those receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) between 1989 and 2007. Varicella immunization and development of varicella or ...

INTRODUCTION The pain of acute herpes zoster (shingles) is severe and difficult to control. The medications used to control pain have a variety of important and potentially serious side effects. To the best of my knowledge, this is the first case report of using a plain topical occlusive dressing to reduce the pain of herpes zoster, avoiding the use of medication. CASE PRESENTATION A 40-year-...

Wolf's isotopic response describes the occurrence of a new, unrelated disease that appears at the same location as a previously healed skin disease, and the most common primary skin disease of this phenomenon is herpes zoster. Several cutaneous lesions have been described to occur at the site of healed herpes zoster, and granulomatous dermatitis and granuloma annulare have been reported to be t...

Pain typically accompanies acute herpes zoster and, in a proportion of patients, it persists well beyond rash healing. Pain must therefore be analyzed in trials of antiviral agents in herpes zoster, but different methods have been used to analyze pain in recent published trials. These reports are reviewed and their methodological strengths and weaknesses examined. Based on this review, recommen...

UNLABELLED (See the editorial commentary by Corona and Flores, on pages 177-8.) OBJECTIVE  Varicella zoster virus (VZV) has been proposed to be involved in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). However, the epidemiological data regarding the MS occurrence rate following herpes zoster are still scanty. The goal of this study is to investigate the frequency and risk for MS following occu...

BACKGROUND Vaccination against herpes zoster is being considered in many countries. We conducted a multicentre prospective study to describe the impact of herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia on health-related quality of life. METHODS From October 2005 to July 2006, 261 outpatients aged 50 years or older with herpes zoster were recruited from the clinical practices of 83 physicians within...

BACKGROUND Immunosuppression and age-related deficiencies in cell-mediated immunity are important factors for the reactivation of latent varicella-zoster virus (VZV). CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T (Treg) cells and T helper 17 (Th17) cells are closely associated with various viral infections. OBJECTIVE We analyzed Treg cells and Th17 cells in patients with herpes zoster and investigated their r...

BACKGROUND The incidence and risk factors for herpes zoster have been studied in cross-sectional and cohort studies, although most such studies have been conducted in Western countries. Evidence from Asian populations is limited, and no cohort study has been conducted in Asia. We are conducting a 3-year prospective cohort study in Shozu County in Kagawa Prefecture, Japan to determine the incide...