15.0k views
5 votes
After 2 weeks JP complains of a painful rash on her back. JP is diagnosed with herpes zoster. What explanation can the nurse give for the occurrence of this new diagnosis?

User Kellyfj
by
5.7k points

1 Answer

1 vote

Answer: the herpes zoster is a viral infection caused by the same varicela virus. If JP had varicela before, the virus could reactivate in a way that does not produce varicela, but zoster.

Explanation: Herpes zoster is an infection caused by varicela-zoster virus. When someone had varicela, this virus remains "latent" in the nervous tissue and could be reactivated in elderly people, or in those with diseases like HIV; when the immune system is not so strong.

The classic presentation is a painful eruption in the skin, mostly located in the back.

User Chris Hep
by
6.0k points