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Herpes zoster in children
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025
Causes of herpes zoster in a child
The disease occurs when the varicella-zoster virus spreads perineurally in individuals with reduced humoral immunity. After chickenpox, the virus persists in the intervertebral ganglia for many years as a latent persistent infection. Circulating humoral antibodies, as well as cellular cytotoxicity reactions, are unable to completely eliminate the intracellularly parasitizing virus. With a sharp weakening of local and general immunity, activation of the virus is possible. The infection manifests itself as a local process associated with the innervation zone of the affected sensory ganglia. The disease occurs in older children and adults who have had chickenpox in the past. Children under 10 rarely get sick. After contact with patients with herpes zoster, a seronegative child can get chickenpox.
Pathogens
Symptoms of herpes zoster in a child
Herpes zoster begins acutely, with an increase in body temperature, burning, itching, tingling and pain along the affected sensory nerves. General malaise and fatigue are also possible. Soon, redness and thickening of the skin appear along the nerve branches, and then, by the end of the first day (less often on the second day), groups of closely spaced red papules form, quickly evolving into 0.3-0.5 cm vesicles filled with transparent contents. The rash tends to merge. After a few days, the contents of the vesicles become cloudy, and the erythematous background fades. By the end of the first - beginning of the second week of the disease, the vesicles dry up, crusts form, which then fall off, leaving a slight pigmentation. Sometimes the period of rash is delayed, repeated rashes of erythematous spots and vesicles are possible. Swelling of the regional lymph nodes is observed.
More severe forms of the disease are also possible:
- bullous (large blisters);
- hemorrhagic (the contents of the vesicles are hemorrhagic);
- gangrenous (formation of a black scab at the site of the blisters with subsequent ulceration);
- generalized (rashes of individual blisters on different parts of the body, in addition to typical blisters along the course of sensory nerves).
Most often, the affected areas of the skin are those innervated by the intercostal nerves, as well as along the innervation of the trigeminal nerve. The extremities are rarely affected. The process is almost always one-sided.
Along with severe variants, there are also abortive forms. In these cases, typical vesicles do not form, but there are grouped papules located on erythematous spots.
In children, herpes zoster is rarely accompanied by neuralgia, and even more rarely, neuralgia persists after the rash disappears, while in adults, neuralgic pain in the affected area is very intense and can last for many months.
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Treatment of herpes zoster in a child
Prescribe analgesics, salicylates, ultrasound, UV radiation, electrophoresis with novocaine, novocaine blockades. In severe cases, intravenous administration of acyclovir and other antiviral drugs for 7-10 days, including the interferon inducer - cycloferon at a rate of 10 mg / kg.
A course of taktivin is indicated; the drug is administered subcutaneously at 1 ml daily for 7-10 days. The course of treatment can be repeated after 2-3 weeks.