Herpes zoster (shingles) affects up to half of all people who live to 85 years of age and can lead to long term morbidity. Appropriate treatment controls acute symptoms and reduces the risk of longer term complications. The most common complication in immunocompetent patients is distressing and sometimes intractable chronic pain. Prevention and treatment should be priorities. Most cases of zoster can be managed in primary care and a full understanding of the condition is essential. A previous BMJ editorial focused on variability of estimates of prevalence.1 Here we present an update on the treatment of herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia.
1. Authorized only (Treatment of herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia, BMJ, 2006)
2. Varicella Zoster Virus: Natural History and Current Therapies of Varicella and Herpes Zoster, IHMF 2007
3. Zoster-associated Pain: What is Known, Who is at Risk and How Can it be Managed?, IHMF 2007
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