Herpes zoster

Herpes zoster ('shingles') is usually a benign, self-limited disease. However, it can be debilitating or even fatal. The potentially serious complications of ocular involvement or postherpetic neuralgia and the confusing therapeutic regimens that are often advocated make this a complicated subject. Dissemination is more common in immunosuppressed and elderly febrile patients, and the complications are more serious. Herpes zoster patients may benefit from treatment with vidarabine, currently the only antiviral agent approved for use in this disease. Corticosteroids may be helpful in selected patients.