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Previous Volume 330:932-934 March 31, 1994 Number 13 Next

	Since this article has no abstract, we have provided an extract of the first 100 words of the full text and any section headings.

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Herpes zoster (shingles) is an acute infection of the dorsal-root ganglia and skin caused by a reactivation of varicella-zoster virus, the cause of chickenpox. It is characterized by pain and vesicles on an erythematous base limited to one to three dermatomes. In immunocompromised persons, widespread viral infection of skin (disseminated zoster) and viscera may lead to fatal pneumonitis, hepatitis, or encephalitis.

Zoster is common. The annual incidence in the United States is 4 per 1000 population¹. After the age of 50 years, the rate of zoster increases to 5.1 per 1000 patients, and among octogenarians it is 10.1 per . . . [Full Text of this Article]

References

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Hornberger, J., Robertus, K. (2006). Cost-effectiveness of a vaccine to prevent herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia in older adults.. ANN INTERN MED 145: 317-325 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Acosta, E. P., Balfour, H. H. Jr. (2001). Acyclovir for Treatment of Postherpetic Neuralgia: Efficacy and Pharmacokinetics. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 45: 2771-2774 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• (1994). PROLONGED ACYCLOVIR PLUS STEROIDS DO NOT REDUCE POSTHERPETIC NEURALGIA. JWatch General 1994: 2-2 [Full Text]