What is varicella zoster?

Varicella zoster is non-contagious viral disease that affects mainly elderly and immunocompromised patients. The lesion tends to appear initially in chest and neck regions, but it could extend to any part of the body.

The clinical picture of varicella zoster starting with burning pain in the affected areas, but later (usually after 36-48 hours) these areas experience many other symptoms such as skin redness as well as appearance of fine vesicles filled with transparent fluid; these vesicles dry out, leaving some crusts that also dry out and disappear completely within 2 weeks. Although the skin has fully recovered, burning pain remains for longer duration.

The actual risk of varicella zoster lies in its complications; the burning sensation related to varicella zoster is of neurological origin, so it could lead to serious complications such as meningitis or trigeminal neuralgia which could lead to loss of taste or hearing or even vision.

Drug therapy of varicella zoster consists of antiviral drugs as well as analgesics and antihistaminic drugs. For prevention, it's advised to take care of personal hygiene; also vaccination is an important preventive measure, especially for elderly and immunocompromised patients.