An older patient experiences a herpes zoster outbreak and asks the provider if she is contagious because she is going to be around her grandchild who is too young to be immunized for varicella. What will the provider tell her?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Contagion is possible until all of the herpes zoster lesions are crusted, so the patient should avoid contact with her grandchild until this point. This is because the virus can be transmitted through direct contact with the rash or fluid from the blisters. Antiviral medications can help shorten the duration and severity of the outbreak but are not 100% effective at preventing transmission. While varicella-zoster and herpes zoster are caused by the same virus, they are different infections with different presentations and patterns of occurrence.

An Older Patient Experiences a Herpes Zoster Outbreak and Asks