Shingles

By Samantha Lucas

Poisonevercure
NLM
 Background Information
• Shingles is a skin rash
caused by the same virus
that causes chickenpox.
• The virus is called the
Varicella zoster virus.
– Aka Herpes zoster
• It occurs most commonly
in people over the age of NHI
60.
 Causes
• After an individual has
chickenpox, this virus lives
in the nervous system
• It is never fully cleared
from the body.
• Outbreaks occur with:
– emotional stress
– immune deficiency
– cancer
• Anyone who has had
chickenpox is at risk
FDA
Medicinenet

msnbcmedia
• Before a rash is visible,
Symptoms
you may notice several
days of burning pain and
sensitive skin.
• Shingles start as small
blisters
– with new blisters
continuing to form for
three to five days.
• The blisters follow the
path of individual nerves
that comes out of the
spinal cord CDC
 Symptoms Continued
• Eventually, the blisters
pop, and the area starts
to ooze.
• The affected areas will
then crust over and heal.
• It may take three to four
weeks from start to NLM

finish.
 Treatment
• The severity of an attack of
shingles can be reduced by
immediate treatment with antiviral
drugs
– Such as acyclovir or valcyclovir Acyclovir

– Antiviral drugs may help the

painful effects of shingles
– Other treatments include
steroids, antidepressants,
anticonvulsants, and topical
agents. valcyclovir
 Prevention
• A vaccine exists known as Zostavax.
• Adults also receive an immune boost from contact with
children infected with varicella
– a boosting method that prevents about a quarter of
herpes zoster cases

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 Cure
• There is no cure for shingles

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 Related Links
The following sites were used to create this presentation:

• Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herpes_zoster
• NINDS:
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/shingles/shingles.htm
• NLM: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/shingles.html
• Medicine Net:
http://www.medicinenet.com/shingles/article.htm
 Related Image Links
Images were taken from the following sites:

• http://nihseniorhealth.gov/shingles/causesandriskfactors/
01.html
• http://www.fda.gov/
• http://www.cheapest-acyclovir.com/pix/img_Acyclovir.jpg
• http://www.medical-
bahri.com/modules/My_eGallery/gallery/Massoud/valcycl
ovir_s.jpg
• http://poisonevercure.150m.com/New_Folder/shingles.jp
g
 More Related Image Links
Images were taken from the following sites:

• http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000858.
htm
• http://www.medicinenet.com/shingles-picture-
slideshow/article.htm
• http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-
vac/shingles/http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-
vac/shingles/photos.htm
• http://msnbcmedia2.msn.com/i/msnbc/Components/Art/
HEALTH/050601/Chart_Shingles.gif