Shingles (according to ICD-10 code - B02) is an ailment that has not yet been fully studied. The disease affects both adults and children of all ages. But, as practice shows, the peak incidence occurs in people who are already 50.
This pathology is caused by the herpes virus. There is a lesion not only of the skin, but also of the nervous system. This disease and chicken pox have a similar etiology and pathogenesis. Modern medicine classifies it as a highly contagious infectious disease, and all because it is provoked by the herpes virus. It is very important to quickly recognize the disease, start treatment and not infect anyone around.
Methods of infection
In the human body there are antibodies that prevent herpes from spreading. But shingles is a cunning virus that easily adapts to killing drugs, while it can hide in the nerve endings, spinal nodes and carry out its vital activity in the human body for a long time.
In the external environment, the virus quickly weakens at high temperatures andexposure to ultraviolet light. It is more difficult for them to get infected in the air. But at low temperatures, on the contrary, it is gaining strength, so it survives well.
Poor-quality food, unfavorable environmental conditions increase the risk of contracting the virus.
Many people ask the main question: is shingles contagious? Alas, there are several provoking factors that increase the likelihood of the virus entering the body and developing the disease:
- low immunity;
- pollution of the environment and water;
- lack of vitamins and minerals in the diet.
The virus spreads through the air with liquid droplets, anyone can easily become infected through touching or shaking hands. Also, do not forget that it can be on household appliances, on hygiene items, on door handles, trolleys in supermarkets, in public transport. The most suitable places for infection are warm rooms with high humidity: saunas, pools and sand on the beach.
Causes of disease
How is shingles transmitted? By airborne droplets, anyone who does not monitor their he alth and hygiene can become infected with it. The virus appears after chickenpox or primarily through the mucous membrane and skin, then passes through the circulatory system and enters the spinal cord and intervertebral nodes, where it remains latent for a long time.
The virus starts to activate for the following reasons:
frequent stressfulsituations;
- taking immune-suppressing drugs;
- consequences after radiation therapy;
- malignant tumors in the body;
- HIV infection;
- transplantation of internal organs.
Based on this, it is possible to accurately answer the question of whether shingles is contagious. Yes, indeed, it is contagious, and it is transmitted from a person who has already had an illness to someone who has not yet had it. The ailment is contagious during the formation of blisters, after crusts have begun to form, shingles is no longer transmitted.
Forms and stages of the disease
Doctors identify several forms of the disease:
- Ocular. Initially affects the branch of the trigeminal nerve. Rashes appear in the eye socket and eyeball. There is a risk of developing herpetic keratitis, which can lead to visual complications.
- Ear (or it is also called Ramsey-Hunt syndrome). It manifests itself in the form of rashes affecting the ganglion of the facial nerve. In addition to rashes and pain, peripheral paresis of facial muscles may develop, food during meals falls out of the mouth and enters the nose, because the face is distorted. Patient unable to close eyelids.
- Necrotic. It affects the deep layers of the skin. With this form, the addition of a secondary bacterial infection is almost guaranteed, the disease is severe, and after recovery, scars remain on the skin. This form develops in patients with low immunity, such as those infected with HIV.
- Bubble(or bullous). Appears at the moment when small formations merge into large ones.
- Hemorrhagic. It is diagnosed at the moment when blood is observed in the contents of the vesicles.
- The generalized form of shingles appears at the moment when the rash spreads throughout the body and even affects the mucous membranes. It develops in patients with a low activity of the immune system.
- Abortive form. Spots appear along the nerve trunks, while bubbles do not form. The form is mild, there are no symptoms of intoxication and may pass unnoticed by the patient.
In some cases, the disease can go to the central nervous system. Then inflammation of the meninges, encephalitis, meningoencephalitis and myelitis can develop. These forms are fatal.
There are three stages of shingles:
- Prodromal. It manifests itself in the form of pain, burning and itching before the rash appears. The disease can proceed for two weeks, but on average 3-5 days.
- Spicy. It manifests itself in the form of rashes, after which scabs appear, in addition to this, a neuralgic syndrome is added. The duration of this period is up to a month, but sometimes up to 15 days.
- Chronic. It manifests itself in the form of a strong pain syndrome in the area of rashes, lasting from a month to a year. Sometimes this symptom of shingles in adults can be supplemented by a general deterioration in the condition, high fever, headaches and depression. It will take morelong-term treatment.
Disease symptoms
It is impossible not to notice the manifestations of the disease shingles, its signs are visible to the naked eye. The initial symptoms are:
- general malaise;
- itch;
- high body temperature;
- neuralgic pain syndrome;
- tingling sensation at the site of a rash that appears later.
Over time, there are abundant rashes and most often on the trunk. The symptoms of the disease manifest themselves as follows: after edematous pinkish spots appear, after 3-4 days, groups of papules appear. They quickly become bubbles with transparent contents, during this period the pain intensifies and the lymph nodes increase.
A week later, the bubbles dry up, yellow crusts form, over time they fall off, and pigmentation appears in their place. After the rash passes, postherpetic neuralgia may remain, which is difficult to treat.
Pathologies causing herpes zoster
Shingles in a person whose symptoms are quite serious can cause such diseases:
- Ramse-Hunt syndrome, which is characterized by rashes in the oropharynx, ear canal, and paralysis of mimic muscles;
- ophthalmic herpes, affects the ocular branches of the trigeminal nerve;
- prolonged course of herpes.
Diagnostic methods
Only through proper diagnosis can the best treatment be foundillness. The symptoms are noticeable and it is not difficult to make an accurate diagnosis. But in some cases, in order not to make an erroneous diagnosis, it is necessary to conduct serological research methods, do microscopy, and isolate the virus on tissue cultures.
Chinese zoster in children can be detected through laboratory tests.
If you do a blood test, then a patient with an acute stage of the disease has leukocytosis, a moderate increase in ESR, an increased number of lymphocytes.
Research of cerebrospinal fluid may be required only in severe cases of the disease. It is more difficult to make a diagnosis at the initial stage, since skin manifestations are confused with inflammation of the pancreas, kidneys, appendicitis and heart attack. It is also difficult to make a diagnosis due to the fact that the symptoms are similar to acute eczema, erysipelas. In this case, you will need to conduct a microscopic examination, use serological methods, try to determine the type of virus by PCR from the blood or the contents of the vesicles.
Complications
It is impossible to ignore the symptoms of the disease, and all because the excessive activity of the virus causes severe complications. Possible consequences:
- hepatitis;
- pneumonia;
- meningitis;
- deterioration or complete loss of hearing and vision.
Postherpetic neuralgia is the main danger of shingles. A similar condition manifests itself with a strong pain syndrome in those places that were affected by the disease and persist even after they disappear. Clinical signs. There are inflammatory processes in the muscles that disrupt their functionality, including paralysis of muscle tissues.
In HIV-infected people, exacerbation can lead to death of the patient.
Treatment methods
After the tests for herpes zoster are passed and the diagnosis is confirmed, the doctor selects the treatment for each patient in accordance with his form of illness. All therapy methods can be divided into three groups:
- Etiotropic. Aimed at the cause of the disease.
- Pathogenetic. Influence the mechanisms of development of pathology.
- Symptomatic. With their help, the manifestations of the disease are eliminated.
Etiotropic treatment of herpes zoster consists in the use of specific antiherpetic drugs. These include:
"Aciclovir";
- "V altrex";
- "Ganciclovir".
Drugs help block the reproduction of the virus, prevent the appearance of new foci of the rash, and reduce the area of existing rashes. Means accelerate the drying of crusts, prevent infection.
Preparations can be presented in different forms: powder for injection, tablets, capsules, syrup, ointment and cream for external use. Usually, the doctor combines the means of internal and external use.
Pathogenetic treatment of herpes zoster involves the use of drugs that fight intoxication. To do this, intravenously administeredglucose solution, "Ringer", "Rheosorbilact" and others. In some situations, their combination with diuretic drugs - "Furosemide" or "Lasix" is required. The use of vitamins from group B is shown, and all because they selectively act on the nervous system. Antiallergic drugs can be used: "Erius", "Suprastin", "Zodak" and others. They help reduce swelling and increase the effect of analgesics. The choice of drugs for herpes zoster depends on the form of the disease, and individual tolerance of the body must be taken into account.
Symptomatic treatment of shingles in humans is provided, which includes:
- antipyretics: "Paracetamol", "Ibuprofen";
- analgesics, combination drugs based on NSAIDs, narcotic drugs such as Tramadol can be used;
- with severe pain, a blockade using anesthetics is provided;
- if the pain prevents the patient from resting, sleeping pills may be recommended.
Of the physiotherapeutic agents, ultraviolet irradiation aimed at the rash zone gives good results. UHF, quartz and laser therapy are also recommended to the patient.
In some cases, the use of brilliant green and methylene blue is justified, which help to dry the bubbles, while additionally having a disinfecting effect. But these funds need to be applied pointwise, generosity in these cases canonly hurt.
With shingles (ICD-10 - B02), it is better to keep the affected parts of the body open so that there is a constant flow of air to them. Only in this way there is less risk of layering a secondary infection, and the foci dry out faster.
Herpes zoster is the negative consequences of the reactivation of the herpes virus type 3, which occurs against the background of reduced immunity. The main manifestations of the disease are specific rashes in the form of bubbles and soreness in their area, and all because of the affected nerve trunks. In most cases, the disease has a favorable prognosis and ends with a quick recovery if complex treatment is started on time. Modern medicine has a lot of tools that effectively fight infection.
Folk treatments
Combining traditional drugs with folk remedies gives a faster effective result. Among the many recipes, these are the best:
- Burdock infusion. It is necessary to take dry raw materials (1 tablespoon), pour boiling water over it (500 ml), leave for about an hour, strain and drink during the day in small sips. Brew fresh decoction every day.
- Ginger root tincture. Grate a small root, pour 0.5 liters of vodka into it and leave to infuse for 14 days. After that, remove the cake, and take the tincture 1 tablespoon before meals. This tool will strengthen the immune system, and it will be able to quickly cope with the infection and prevent secondary infection.
- Mixture of bitter herbs. Take on an equal footingquantities of tansy, wormwood and yarrow, after the mixture, select 1 tbsp. l. and pour boiling water. It is recommended to drink 400-600 ml per day.
- Europhorbia juice is used for external use, rubbing it on inflamed skin.
- Potassium permanganate will help speed up the healing process if you periodically wipe the affected skin with a weak composition.
- Excellently strengthens the immune system tincture of willow bark. You need to take one tablespoon of chopped raw materials and pour a glass of boiling water, leave to stand for one hour, take 1/4 cup three times a day.
- Tincture of calendula and meadowsweet flowers helps to cope with shingles in children and adults, it relieves inflammation and itching, thereby relieving symptoms. Take raw materials in equal proportions, pour boiling water (1 tablespoon per glass of water) and let it brew. Use to wipe diseased areas of the skin.
Folk remedies for shingles can give a good result only if used in combination with traditional treatment. Therefore, before using them, it is better to consult a doctor so as not to cause serious unwanted manifestations.
Preventive measures
How shingles is transmitted is already known. The disease is not very pleasant, so it is better to protect yourself and your loved ones from it. There are many good drugs that can cope with the disease, but it is still better to take action and protect yourself from the virus. Preventive measures against the disease include the following:
- It is necessary to harden the body,thereby strengthening the immune system. Regularly need to take a walk in the fresh air. Only a strong body has the strength to fight viruses and infections.
- Planned vaccinations will help build immunity ready to quickly fight the herpes virus.
- In the spring and autumn periods, when a person is especially prone to respiratory diseases, it is necessary to include more foods enriched with vitamins in the diet, or simply purchase a vitamin complex in a pharmacy and take a course of taking it.
During an exacerbation and for some time after a rash appears on a person's body, he remains contagious, so you need to exclude contact with him. If this is a family member, then you need to make sure that the patient has a separate towel, bed linen, dishes, and try to exclude bodily contact with him, especially for children whose immunity is not yet fully developed and is susceptible to attacks by viruses and infections.
Every person who has already had chickenpox should definitely know what lichen looks like in order to recognize it in time and seek help from a doctor. The initial stage of the disease is easier to cure than the advanced one, and it will bring less inconvenience to the patient.
