Dermatol. praxi. 2015;9(4):165-166

Shingles and the contemporary perspective on its treatment

MUDr. Hana Roháčová, Ph.D.

Klinika infekčních, parazitárních a tropických nemocí Nemocnice na Bulovce

Shingles is a relatively common illness which mainly effect persons with secondary immune deficiency. Most often the affected are elderly, but shingles can also be found among younger people including children. Shingles is the expression of the reactivation of the varicella -zoster virus, which, after primary infection, survive in sensitive ganglia of the human body. The cause of the reactivation is very often the weakening of the immune system. Discomfort arises with the appearance of the lesions, both in the location of the lesions as well as generalised symptoms. The greatest discomfort, however, comes with the elimination of the lesions. This is a result of post-herpetic neuralgia, which can affect a patient even a number of weeks or months after the initial infection. The intensity of this discomfort varies from mild to intense, and treatment is often difficult. The article discusses contemporary therapeutic treatments of the disease.

Keywords: shigles, clinical picture, treatment, prevention, post-herpetic neuralgia

Published: December 1, 2015  Show citation