Clinical Manifestations of Herpes Zoster, Its Comorbidities, and Its Complications in North of Iran from 2007 to 2013

Abstract EN

Background.

Herpes zoster infection is a painful worldwide disease.

Inappropriate and delayed treatment causes prolongation of the disease with debilitating symptoms and postherpetic neuralgia.

Method.

A cross-sectional study evaluated shingles cases admitted in a teaching hospital with one-year followup in north of Iran from 2007 to 2013.

Results.

From 132 patients, 60.4% were male.

Head and neck involvement occurred in 78 people (59.1%), thoracoabdominal region in 37 cases (28%), and extremities in 16 cases (12.1%), and one case (0.8%) got multisites involvement.

54 cases (40.9%) had predisposing factors including diabetes mellitus in 26 cases (19.7%), malignancy in 15 (11.4%), immunosuppressive medication in 7 (5.03%), HIV infection in 3 (2.3%), radiotherapy in 2 (1.5%), and tuberculosis in one patient (0.8%).

The most common symptoms were pain (95.5%), weakness (56%), fever (31.1%), headache (30.3%), ocular complaints (27.3%), itching (24.2%), and dizziness (5.3%).

21 cases (15.9%) had bacterial superinfection on blistering areas and overall 18 cases (13.6%) had opium addiction.

4 cases (3.03%) died during admission because of comorbidities.

Postherpetic neuralgia was reported in 56 patients (42.5%) after three months and seven cases (5%) in one-year followup.

Conclusion.

Shortening interval between skin lesion manifestation and starting medication can accelerate lesion improvement and decrease disease course, extension, and complication.