Shingles by

1. Causative Agent

breadennis — 2023-11-09 18:42:29 UTC

Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV), the causative agent for Shingles.

Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV) is a DNA virus that is a member of the herpesvirus group.
This virus is responsible for forming chickenpox, herpes, or shingles.
The virus can be found in temperate climates.
VZV has a diameter of 150-200nm
Contains a linear, double stranded DNA genome, enclosed within a capsid surrounded by an phospholipid envelope.

3. Mode of transmission

breadennis — 2023-11-09 19:36:54 UTC

Shingles infection occurs when the chickenpox virus is reactivated.

chicken pox-> the blisters on the skin dry and crust form. -> the dormant virus becomes active and travels along the nerve. -> Once chicken pox has passed the virus lies dormant in the dorsal root ganglion. -> Dormant Varicella Zoster Virus forms.

Breathing in the varicella-virus the way airborne viruses are formed.
Ingesting Stress and some medications can trigger the symptoms of shingles. Too much red meat and alcoholic beverages can increase the chances of someone getting shingles.
Contact You can get shingles through an open shingles blister. This is a way of contact with another person who has shingles or how someone with shingles can effect another person.
The virus can be transported through use of contaminated needles.

Shingles is contagious only until the last blister has dried and scabbed over. If not careful when dealing with someone who has the virus you can get shingles especially if you have or have had chicken pox.

4. Symptoms of Shingles

breadennis — 2023-11-11 19:23:09 UTC

Symptoms of Shingles are not pleasant!

Pain Areas
In the skin
Skin
Blisters, Scabs, Ulcers, or redness
Sensory
Oversensitivity or a pin an needle feeling ( most common).
Top Symptoms
Postherpetic neuralgia, fatigue, or itching, burning sensation.
Other important facts of symptoms
Shingles usually affects one side of the body with its rash. Internal Shingles still causes pain and itching just without the rash. Sensitivity to touch is a huge red flag symptom. Sometimes after getting a vaccine for shingles it can give you these symptoms but more so nausea.

5. Diagnosis

breadennis — 2023-11-11 19:39:16 UTC

Who and How can Shingles be diagnosed?
Doctors and Dermatologist (since the outbreak can be seen from a rash) can test and diagnose you for shingles.
A Dermatologist Process
In order to tell if you have shingles when dealing with a dermatologist he or she will scrape at of fluid from your blister on the rash. They will then send that sample to a lab where a doctor will look at the fluid under a high powered microscope.
A Doctors Process
If a doctor is testing a patient to see if they have shingles and doesn't have the blister fluid as mentioned above then another option is, Polymerase Chain Reaction test (PCR). it can detect VZV DNA rapidly. PCR is the most useful laboratory test for confirming cases of herpes zoster.

6.Treatment

breadennis — 2023-11-11 20:00:22 UTC

Shingles Treatments
Treatments include, pain relief medications, antiviral medications such as , acyclovir and valacyclovir. Taking these medications for about 7-10 days can start to show moderate results of improvement.
Are Vaccines a Treatment for Shingles?
Vaccines are NOT a treatment for shingles but CAN help prevent the disease.
There is no actual cure for shingles but are a lot of preventive and home remedies along with medications that can help with the process. Oatmeal baths, wearing loose clothing , exercise, washing clothes in fragrance free detergent and applying lotion regularly can all help with shingles. It is a skin based disease so keeping the skin moist and not dry will always be a top factor to a more "comfortable" way of dealing with the disease.
Mode of action
When viral replication is reactivated, VZV reaches the skin via anterograde axonal transport to cause symptoms of zoster.
Mode of action for the vaccine
Immune exposure to gE protein stimulates the development of anti-gE antibodies, and therefore adaptive immunity to VZV.

7. Sequela

breadennis — 2023-11-12 16:22:00 UTC

Shingles causes many physical and psychological long term effects.

Earaches
Bacterial infection
Fatigue
Vision Problems
Strokes
Ringing in ear
Dizziness
Pneumonia
The most common long term side affect for shingles in middle age people.
A long term nerve pain called PHN. Some patients have to take medication for this 5 years prior to even finding out they have the nerve pain.

8. Prevention

breadennis — 2023-11-12 16:29:12 UTC

Preventing Shingles with a Vaccine

To prevent shingles with a vaccine you need to get the vaccine , "Shingrix".
Shingrix is very effective for preventing shingles and complications including Postherpetic neuralgia (which is the top common side effect).

Preventing Shingles without a Vaccine

Many people have their own personal thoughts about vaccines and may not feel comfortable with them at all times.
To prevent shingles without a vaccine, you need to stay as healthy as possible.
Some ways to prevent shingles without a vaccine looks like , getting enough rest , managing stress, eating a healthy diet and doing research to really get the shingles vaccine cause pure health alone cannot fight this.

9. Epidemiology

breadennis — 2023-11-12 16:46:34 UTC

Where?
Shingles is most common in the United States of America.
Who?
1 in 3 people are going to get shingles in the USA.
Ethnic Group(s)
While it is free game for people of all ethnicities to get shingles. The ethnicity class with the highest percentage and chance of getting shingles is "non-Hispanic white ancestry" groups.
Age
The age group most vulnerable to Shingles are people older than 50 years old
Who is not included in this?
The only people who CANNOT get shingles are people who have not had chickenpox.

10. Facts, Historical relevance and features

breadennis — 2023-11-12 17:21:38 UTC

Shingles is a disease that can potential come to someone that has had chicken pox.
Giovanni Filippo discovered Chickenpox in the 16th century.
The disease was brought to the USA by European explorers and settlers.
The disease came from an "old world monkey"
Fun fact: "Chicken Myth" if you have shingles and the rash looks like a snake around the chest , it will kill you.
Visual History
The movie "Shingles: What You need to know to avoid a world of pain".
This movie offers an educational glimpse into the symptoms, risk factors, treatments , and prevention of shingles.

2. Virulence Factor

breadennis — 2023-11-12 21:46:28 UTC

Highly Resistant
Shingles is so hard to fight off and does not have a cure because , it attacks your immune system. The immune system has to use energy to fight shingles. Therefore you being extra tired or nausea is from your immune system having to work 10x's harder to keep you somewhat healthy.
What is stopping me from living my best life against shingles?
ORF7 is a virion component localized to the Golgi. This can create issues in the detection of the epithelial cell.

detetction

Citations

breadennis — 2023-11-12 21:59:14 UTC

“Cause of Shingles: What Is Shingles?” Cause of Shingles | What Is Shingles?, www.whatisshingles.com/what-causes-shingles/. Accessed 12 Nov. 2023.
“5 Things You Need to Know about Shingles.” National Institute on Aging, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, www.nia.nih.gov/health/infographics/5-things-you-need-know-about-shingles. Accessed 12 Nov. 2023.

“Department of Health.” New York State Department of Health, www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/shingles/fact_sheet.htm. Accessed 12 Nov. 2023.

breadennis — 2023-11-12 22:23:19 UTC