Viral infections of the skin Flashcards
(51 cards)
What virus causes chickenpox and shingles?
Varicella zoser
When are you likely to get chickenpox?
Primary infection typically in childhood that stays latent in the sensory nerve roots
What is shingles?
Reactivation of latent varicella virus to form zoster
Only flares up in one dermatome
What is the progression of the chickenpox disease?
Macules to papules to vesicles to recovery
Centripetal with inflammed skin
Fever
Itch
When is someone with chickenpox no longer infectious/
When the spots have scabbed over
What are complications of chickenpox?
Secondary bacterial infection in the skin Pneumonitis Haemorrhagic Scarring, absent or minor Encephalitis Purpuric haemorrhagic rash
Who is likely to get severe chickenpox?
Extremes of age (elderly and newborns)
Depressed cell mediated immunity
What can occur if you get chickenpox whilst pregnant?
Foetal varicella syndrome
How can a newborn get VZV?
If a women get chickenpox within 5 days of delivery the child can get neonatal chickenpox which has a high mortality
What is the progression of shingles?
Tingling pain to erythema and to vesicles to crusts
What type of pain is zoster pain?
Neuralgic in character
What is post herpetic neuralgia?
Pain beyone 4 weeks of the virus after the rash has cleared up
Who is most likely to develop post herpetic neuralgia?
Elderly and those with trigeminal distribution
What is opthalimc zoster?
Zoster in opthalmic division of trigeminal nerve that requires an urgent referral to an opthalmologist
Where is shingles likely to distribute if in children under 10 (this is very rare)?
Dermatomes supplied by the cervical and sacral nerves
Where is shingles likely to distribute in adults?
Lower thoracic and upper lumbar dermatomes and may involve trigeminal
What is ramsay hunt syndrome?
Vesicles and pain in auditory canal and throat that can cause facial palsy and irritation of the 8th cranial nerve *deafness, vertigo, tinittus)
What can herpes simplex virus cause?
Primary gingivostomatits in pre-school children
Extensive ulceration in and around mouth`
How would you describe herpes simplex virus?
Blistering rash at vermillion border that can be spread to fingers or eczema
What is eczema herpeticum?
Severe atopic eczema can inoculate herpes simplex from mouth all over the skin causing an infection over the whole skin
What strain of herpes simplex virus causes genital warts?
Herpes simplex type 1 or 2
What strain of herpes simplex causes cold sores?
Type 1
How can VZV and HSV be treated?
Aciclovir - structural analogue of guanosine that gets incorporated into growing viral DNA chains and terminates it
What will erythema multiforme present as?
Target lesions with erythema
