Description

Herpes zoster, also called shingles, and referred to as "zosteer", gets its name from both the Latin and French words for belt or girdle and refers to belt-like skin eruptions that may occur on the trunk of the body. The virus that causes chickenpox, the varicella zoster virus (VSV), can become dormant in nerve cells after an episode of chickenpox and later re-emerge as shingles. Any individual who has had chickenpox can develop shingles. People of all ages, even children, can be affected, but the incidence increases with age. There are many other conditions which can predispose to developing shingles. These include: newborn infants, bone marrow and other transplant recipients, and individuals with immune systems weakened by diseases like HIV or cancer, or drugs, such as those used in