A 61-year-old man arrives at the office with a severe rash on his face that has been there for three days. There are no additional medical issues or drugs that the patient is taking. He's a retired teacher who lives with his wife. The display depicts the results of a skin examination. The remainder of the physical examination shows no abnormalities. Which of the following events most likely immediately preceded the appearance of skin rash in this patient?

Question

A 61-year-old man arrives at the office with a severe rash on his face that has been there for three days. There are no additional medical issues or drugs that the patient is taking. He's a retired teacher who lives with his wife. The display depicts the results of a skin examination.   The remainder of the physical examination shows no abnormalities.  Which of the following events most likely immediately preceded the appearance of skin rash in this patient?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Eductional Objective: Childhood is the most prevalent age for primary varicella-zoster virus infection (chickenpox). The virus then migrates to the sensory ganglia, where it remains latent for decades. With time, diminishing cell-mediated immunity causes the virus to reactivate, causing a painful, erythematous, vesicular rash in a dermatomal distribution.

A 61-Year-Old Man Arrives at the Office with a Severe