Final answer:
Herpes zoster (shingles) presents with papules, vesicles, crusts, and erythema along a dermatome, and is caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, which also causes chickenpox. The correct option is b.
Step-by-step explanation:
The symptoms of papules, vesicles, crusts, and erythema along a dermatome are characteristic of herpes zoster, also known as shingles. Herpes zoster is caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), which is the same virus that causes chickenpox.
Once a person has had chickenpox, VZV remains latent in the nerve tissue near the spinal cord and brain. It can reactivate years later, causing shingles. This condition presents with a painful rash that usually appears as a single stripe of blisters that wraps around either the left or the right side of the torso.
In contrast, herpes simplex generally causes oral and genital lesions and varicella, which refers to chickenpox, is identified by a pustular rash that is more widely distributed across the body, especially concentrated on the trunk in children. The correct option is b.