Herpes zoster.

Abstract

Herpes zoster is a common condition that significantly affects health-related quality of life. Most cases occur in immunocompetent individuals older than 60 years; however, immunosuppressed patients are at particularly high risk. Post-herpetic neuralgia is the most common serious complication of herpes zoster, and is much more common in the very elderly. Vaccination with the zoster vaccine is recommended for most people older than 60, and reduces the incidence of herpes zoster and the occurrence of post-herpetic neuralgia.

• Authors: Kim M O'Connor, Douglas S Paauw
• Journal: The Medical clinics of North America (Med Clin North Am) Vol. 97 Issue 4 Pg. 503-22, ix (Jul 2013) ISSN: 1557-9859 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 23809711 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Antiviral Agents
• Herpes Zoster Vaccine

Topics

• Antiviral Agents (therapeutic use)
• Canada (epidemiology)
• Diagnosis, Differential
• Herpes Zoster (complications, diagnosis, epidemiology, therapy)
• Herpes Zoster Vaccine
• Humans
• Neuralgia, Postherpetic (etiology, therapy)
• Risk Factors
• United States (epidemiology)