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

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Herpes zoster (shingles) on the chest

This is a picture of herpes zoster (shingles) on the chest. Shingles are caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. Outbreaks of shingles often follow the distribution of nerves in the skin. This distribution pattern is called a dermatome (see the "dermatomes" picture). The linear distribution of the nerve in the skin is very easily seen in this photograph.

Update Date: 4/28/2006

Updated by: Michael Lehrer, M.D., Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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