Symptoms of VARICELLA ZOSTER VIRUS

Chickenpox produces a rash which usually begins on the trunk and face and then spreads. These vesicles forms scabs and eventually fall off. There is fever and malaise. It is most common in children. Herpes zoster usually is seen most commonly after 60 years of age. There is an eruption of vesicles in one part of the body or face. It is confined to one side of the body. The vesicles are distributed in a band that matches the area of supply of a particular sensory nerve. Pain may develop in the area before the rash and may persist after the rash has disappeared. This painful complication, post-herpetic neuralgia, is most commonly seen in individuals over 50 years of age.