MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Herpes zoster (shingles) on the back

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Herpes zoster (shingles) on the back

A classical pattern for shingles. The infection follows a nerve root from the spine, along a rib, to the front of the chest. The area innervated by the nerve is called a "dermatome".

Update Date: 5/26/2006

Updated by: Monica Gandhi MD, MPH, Assistant Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases, UCSF, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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