Symptoms: Fever + pustular rash on body + scalp; rash is limited to
one dermatome in shingles
Latency: Sensory neurons; reemergence following stress/UV light to
dermatome innervated by the sensory neurons
Pathogenesis: Initial infection of respiratory mucosa leads to
viremia and infection or liver/spleen etc. A second viremia results which
infects skin. Cell-mediated immune response leads to symptoms
Complications:
1. Adults have a stronger cell-mediated immune system &
response, and pneumonia/inflammation of lungs may lead to death.
2. Latency leads to later outbreaks on a limited skin area (dermatome)
called shingles.
3. VZV infection in immunocompromised people and neonates can be fatal due
to defective cell-mediated immunity and virus spread to brain, lungs +
liver.
