Do you remember when you were a child, when you had chickenpox and itchy, blistering skin all over your body? Many people have had this experience. But did you know that after the chickenpox has healed, the virus that caused it can remain hidden inside our bodies and come back years later to cause other diseases? That virus is the varicella-zoster virus, or ``(VZV)`` for short. Today, let's talk about this virus, the diseases it causes, and how we can protect ourselves.
What is this Varicella-Zoster Virus?
Simply put, the varicella-zoster virus is a type of virus that belongs to the herpes family of viruses. This is what causes chickenpox. Not only that, but it is also the same virus that later causes a condition called herpes zoster, or "shingles" as many people call it.
Imagine, after we get chickenpox and recover, this virus does not completely disappear from the body. It very carefully enters our nerve cells and lies dormant there for a while without causing any problems. However, sometimes, especially when our body's immunity is low, this dormant virus wakes up again. That's when other symptoms like the shingles mentioned earlier appear. In other words, this is the risk that a person who had chickenpox as a child will develop shingles as an adult.
What diseases are caused by this virus?
When the varicella-zoster virus enters our bodies, it can cause various diseases. Let's see what the main ones are:
- Chickenpox (Varicella): This is the disease that occurs when the virus enters the body for the first time. So this is what causes the chickenpox we all know.
- Shingles (Herpes Zoster): This can occur years, even decades, after chickenpox. It is characterized by blistering skin lesions along the nerves, accompanied by severe pain.
- Meningitis, Encephalitis, and Meningoencephalitis: These are more serious conditions. These can occur if the virus reactivates and infects the brain or the membranes that cover the brain after chickenpox has healed.
- Herpes zoster ophthalmicus: Also called "eye shingles," this is a reactivation of the VZV virus around the eyes and forehead. It can also affect vision.
- Ramsay-Hunt syndrome (Herpes zoster oticus): This is a condition in which the VZV virus affects the nerves in the face, causing facial paralysis on one side of the face. It may be accompanied by ear pain.
What are the symptoms of this?
Symptoms can vary depending on where in the body the varicella-zoster virus affects. Here are some common symptoms:
- Fever.
- A rash with water-filled blisters (in chickenpox, all over the body, in shingles, often in a single strip on the body).
- Pain that comes with a skin rash (especially with shingles).
- Headache .
- Redness and swelling of the eyes (especially in ocular shingles).
- Sensitivity to light (blue eyes) (Photophobia)
- Facial paralysis on one side of the face (Ramsay-Hunt syndrome).
- Ear pain.
- Toothache (sometimes caused by facial nerves).
What happens when the varicella-zoster virus enters the body?
Let's see how this virus works inside our bodies.
First, when we first get the varicella-zoster virus (this is called the primary infection), which is when we get chickenpox, the virus usually enters our respiratory tract first. Then, the virus enters the lymphatic system, spreads throughout the body, and causes the itchy, blistering lesions (chickenpox).
After chickenpox has healed, the VZV virus travels along our nerves and lies dormant in the dorsal root ganglia in the spinal cord, causing no symptoms. In some people, the virus can reactivate. This is when symptoms such as a rash, pain with inflammation, and sometimes facial numbness, eye swelling, and ear pain occur.
The most important thing is that this virus can become active more than once in a lifetime.
This virus usually reactivates when our immune system is weak . For example:
- People over 50 years old.
- People taking immunosuppressive medications.
- People with conditions that weaken the immune system (e.g. HIV infection, cancer).
- People suffering from severe stress.
Where does the virus hide in the body?
When inactive, the varicella-zoster virus resides inside nerve cells. Specifically, it is most abundant in the aforementioned ``dorsal ganglia`` in the spinal cord. However, this virus can also be found in the ``trigeminal nerve``, the nerve that runs through our face.
How does this virus infect us?
It is very important to know this too.
- From someone with chickenpox (primary infection): The virus can be spread through coughing, sneezing, and direct contact with droplets.
- From someone who has shingles (reactivation of the virus): Shingles can be spread through direct contact with sores and sometimes through viral particles released into the air from sores.
Here's the important thing: Shingles cannot be spread from one person to another. However, someone who has shingles can get chickenpox from someone who has never had chickenpox before and hasn't been vaccinated against chickenpox! Got it?
How do doctors detect this?
Doctors usually diagnose varicella-zoster infections by looking at your symptoms and the sores on your skin. Chickenpox is easy to recognize. Shingles is also easy to recognize by the pattern of the sores and the pain. Sometimes, to be sure, a fluid sample or tissue sample from the sores is sent to a lab to be tested for the virus.
What are the treatments for this?
Doctors sometimes prescribe antiviral medications to treat varicella-zoster infections. These work by controlling the virus's ability to multiply in the body, reducing symptoms, and helping you recover faster. Some of the most common medications are:
- Acyclovir (Zovirax®)
- Famciclovir (Famvir®)
- Valacyclovir (Valtrex®)
These medications should be started as soon as possible after symptoms start. That's when you'll get the most results. Therefore, it's very important to seek medical advice as soon as you suspect you have chickenpox or shingles.
Does the varicella-zoster virus completely disappear from the body?
Oh no. Once you get the varicella-zoster virus, it stays in your nerve cells for life. There is currently no treatment that can completely eliminate the VZV virus from your body. But don't worry! There are vaccines that can help prevent the virus from reactivating.
What are the best times to see a doctor?
If you think you or your child has chickenpox, or if you have symptoms of shingles (especially blisters with pain on one side of the body) , be sure to see a doctor. He or she can advise you on the right treatment and how to prevent spreading the virus to others.
When do you need to go to an Emergency Treatment Unit (ETU) ?
Sometimes these infections can be serious. If you or your child has any of the following symptoms, go to the nearest emergency room (ER) immediately:
- Confusion or altered mental status.
- Very severe headache.
- Fever that doesn't go down.
- Seeing injuries or damage to the eyes.
- Difficulty breathing.
- Stiff neck.
- Difficulty waking up from sleep.
These symptoms indicate that the infection is serious and may have affected the brain or other vital organs. So don't delay.
Can this viral infection be prevented?
Yes! The best way to prevent varicella-zoster virus infection is vaccination .
- Prevent chickenpox: Getting the chickenpox vaccine can greatly reduce the risk of developing chickenpox. This is also included in our country's national vaccination program.
- Prevent shingles: If you've had chickenpox before, you can get the shingles vaccine to reduce your risk of getting shingles. This is usually recommended for people over the age of 50.
If you have chickenpox, avoid contact with other people until the sores are completely healed. It is especially important to stay away from pregnant women, young children, and people with weakened immune systems. If you have shingles, keep the sores covered. This can help prevent the virus from spreading to others, especially those who do not have chickenpox. Be especially careful with children and adults with weakened immune systems in places like schools and daycare centers.
Is varicella-zoster the same as chickenpox or shingles?
Let me explain a little here. Varicella-Zoster is the name of the virus.
- Chickenpox is the disease that occurs when the VZV virus infects the body for the first time .
- Shingles (and rarely other infections like meningitis) is a disease that occurs when the same virus reactivates in the body at a later time.
What is the difference between Herpes Zoster and Varicella-Zoster Virus?
This is also something that many people confuse. Herpes Zoster is another name for Shingles. So, the infection caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus is also called herpes zoster. This means that they are both referring to the same condition, one is the virus (VZV), and the other is the disease that it causes (Shingles/Herpes Zoster).
So, the most important things we need to remember (Take-Home Message)
So, from all this talk, you can remember a few important things.
In addition to the very annoying childhood disease chickenpox, the varicella-zoster virus can remain in our bodies for life and cause severe nerve pain and other complications later in life.
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However, the good news is that, thanks to successful vaccines, most people will never experience these VZV infections.
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Even for those who have had chickenpox in the past, getting the shingles vaccine can reduce the risk of the varicella-zoster virus causing trouble again.
So, talk to your family doctor about your and your child's varicella-zoster infections and the risk of them reactivating. He or she will explain to you the best ways to protect yourself from serious infections, now and in the future. Stay healthy!
` Varicella-zoster virus, VZV, chickenpox, chickenpox, herpes zoster, shingles, viral infection
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