People with herpes zoster are those who have previously had chickenpox.
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, AMBON — As people age, people over the age of 50 are at risk herpes zoster or shingles (snake pox) caused by the varicella-zoster virus. It is characterized by the appearance of water-filled skin nodules on one side of the body and is painful.
Secretary of the Maluku Province Aids Prevention Commission (KPA), Dr Sri Anata Widhya, said it was not yet certain what caused the varicella-zoster virus to be reactivated because not all of them had been infected. chicken pox will have herpes zoster. “People over the age of 50 are very at risk,” he said, Monday (22/11).
He said shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the virus that also causes chickenpox. People with herpes zoster are those who have previously had chickenpox. After a person recovers from chickenpox, the virus becomes inactive and persists in the nerves for years.
The varicella-zoster virus can reactivate and cause shingles or shingles. It is not yet certain what causes the varicella-zoster virus to reactivate, because not everyone who has had chickenpox will develop shingles.
Some conditions that are thought to increase the risk of developing herpes zoster are those who are over 50 years old, have a weak immune system, for example, because they have AIDS, after organ transplant surgery, have cancer, or take corticosteroid drugs for a long time.
People over 50 years old, said Dr Sri, can get herpes zoster because it is known that the risk will increase with age. Therefore, the varicella-zoster virus antiviral vaccination is highly recommended for them.
The vaccine can also be given to people who have had shingles. Although it can’t prevent herpes zoster completely, vaccination can at least reduce the severity of the symptoms of this disease and speed up healing time and prevent recurrence.
“Herpes zoster is a continuation of chickenpox so it cannot be transmitted, but sufferers can be a source of spreading the varicella-zoster virus which can cause other people to get chickenpox,” he said.
Dr. Sri explained that the main symptom of herpes zoster is the appearance of watery nodules such as chickenpox on one side of the body (right or left). The nodule is only local, the tissue around the nodule becomes swollen, the nodule will develop into a blister and become a crusty wound and then disappear slowly.
Although harmless, antiviral drugs will be given to speed healing and reduce the risk of complications such as postherpetic neuralgia or postherpetic neuralgia, which is severe pain and can last for months, even years after the rash heals. Another complication is blindness for people with herpes zoster that arise around the eyes can cause inflammation of the optic nerve, glaucoma and even lead to blindness. Then disorders of the nerves, such as inflammation of the brain, and problems with hearing or even balance.
In addition, a bacterial infection of the rash or blisters can occur if the skin is not properly cleaned, including white patches on the rash caused by damage to skin pigment that looks like a scar. “Besides nodules and pain, other symptoms felt by people with herpes zoster are fever, headache, weakness and glare to light,” said Dr Sri.
Geriatric expert from the Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia, Dr. Edy Rizal Wachyudi, once said that the elderly group would experience immunosenescence, which is a condition in which a person’s immunity decreases so that the body’s immune response to the defense of infection with germs and viruses decreases.
This is what causes the elderly group to be more susceptible to infection, often accompanied by complications compared to the younger group. In addition, the elderly have a great potential to be difficult to control if they are infected which will increase the morbidity rate of the group.
Post-herpetic pain (NPH) which is the most common complication of herpes zoster (NPH) can be overwhelming for elderly patients.
Treatment of NPH is not easy and only a few are reported to experience treatment success. Ages at risk for herpes zoster start from the age of 50 years and over, but it is possible that young people can also be affected.
Herpes zoster generally occurs in someone who when at a young age had chickenpox. So, the varicella virus goes through a “sleeping” phase for years and its defenses decrease, but increases and reappears as the immune system declines. Basically, people living with various inflammatory disorders have a higher risk of developing shingles compared to the general population. Herpes zoster is a virus related to chickenpox that causes pain and a blistering rash.
According to the Arthritis Foundation, the risk of people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) developing shingles is about twice that of older adults. Many people living with inflammatory disorders take TNF, which is a class of biologic drugs used to block the inflammatory process. However, the drug can cause immunosuppression, increasing the risk of shingles.
source: Between
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