Disseminated herpes zoster

Disseminated herpes zoster, or disseminated shingles, is a condition caused by an outbreak of the varicella zoster virus. This is the same virus that causes herpes zoster (aka shingles) and chickenpox. Disseminated herpes zoster is defined as more than twenty skin lesions appearing outside either the primarily affected dermatome or dermatomes directly adjacent to it. Besides the skin, other organs, such as the liver or brain, may also be affected (causing hepatitis or encephalitis respectively), making the condition potentially lethal.

See also

• Ophthalmic zoster
• Inflammatory skin lesions following zoster infection
• Skin lesion