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Theories On Varicella Zoster Virus Reactivation Based On Shingles Patterns, Ralph Nussbaum

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Herpes zoster, a disease also known as shingles or as zoster, infects the sensory nerve ganglion and the peripheral nerve and its branches, resulting in pain to the affected dermatomes. Infection results from reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus which causes varicella, or chickenpox. The varicella-zoster virus usually causes chickenpox to its host at an early age and then withdraws to the dorsal root ganglia where it enters a latency stage. The virus may reemerge at any time and infect its host with shingles. As shingles is most common in ages 50 and above, it is assumed that …