A 45-year-old man has pus-filled vesicles distributed over his back in the upper right quadrant,his right shoulder,and the upper right quadrant of his chest.His symptoms are most likely due to

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The distribution of the pus-filled vesicles over the patient's back, right shoulder, and upper right quadrant of his chest suggests a pattern consistent with the dermatomal distribution of nerves typically affected by the varicella-zoster virus, which causes chickenpox and shingles. Herpes simplex virus and Candida albicans typically cause lesions that are not distributed in a dermatomal pattern, and Staphylococcus aureus typically causes impetigo or folliculitis, rather than vesicles.

A 45-Year-Old Man Has Pus-Filled Vesicles Distributed Over His Back