Berks County Medical Society Medical Record Summer 2018 - 24

m E d i C a l r E C o r d F E at u r E

NEW SHINGLES VACCINE
HITS MARKET
NON-LIVE VACCINE RECOMMENDED FOR THOSE AGE 50+

ONE OUT OF
EVERY THREE
PEOPLE WILL
GET THE
SHINGLES.

O

ne million cases of shingles - also known as varicella-zoster
virus - will be reported in the United States this year. If you
are over 50 years old chances are you had the chickenpox virus.
This virus lies dormant in your body, and then for some reason not quite
known to scientists, it reactivates as a painful virus known as shingles.
This shingles virus appears as a blistery red rash along a "dermatome"
or single stripe along either the right or left side of the body. The area
where the rash appears can be painful, itchy, and burning. Symptoms
may start up to five days before the rash even appears.
Shingles usually appears in people over the age of 60 or people with
weakened immune systems.
Other symptoms can include fever, headache, fatigue, or
gastrointestinal upset. Pain is usually the first symptom, and in some
people it can be severe. If the rash develops around the eye, it can cause
permanent vision loss, so it is important to start treatment quickly.
A person with shingles can pass the varicella-zoster virus to anyone
who isn't immune to chickenpox. This usually occurs through direct
contact with the open sores of the shingles rash. Once infected, the
person will develop chickenpox, not shingles.
Shingles usually lasts 5-7 days, then the blisters crust and scab over.
The rash will resolve on its own, however, your doctor will usually
prescribe an antiviral medication like acyclovir to help speed your
recovery or to help prevent complications like post-herpectic neuralgia
- nerve pain that lingers even after the rash has resolved. It occurs
when damaged nerve fibers send confused and exaggerated
messages of pain from your skin to your brain.
Rarely, shingles can cause neurological problems.
Depending on which nerves are affected, shingles can cause
inflammation of the brain (encephalitis), facial paralysis,
blindness, or hearing or balance problems.
Due to breaks in the skin caused by
shingles blisters, bacterial skin infections
may also develop as a side effect of the
disease.

24

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Berks County Medical Society Medical Record Summer 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Berks County Medical Society Medical Record Summer 2018

Berks County Medical Society Medical Record Summer 2018 - 1
Berks County Medical Society Medical Record Summer 2018 - 2
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