The Treatment Of Herpes Zoster In Children

Today we are going to talk about herpes zoster in children. Herpes zoster, also known as shingles, is a rare viral infection caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus. The prognosis for this condition is usually good if the minor is healthy.

However, it is necessary to diagnose and treat it in time to avoid complications. Okay, but what are the causes? How can this be recognized? Read on to find detailed answers.

Causes of Herpes Zoster in Children

Shingles can occur in both healthy children and children with underlying immunodeficiency. The main cause is close contact with the varicella-zoster virus, which remains latent in the nervous system throughout life.

Anyone who has had chickenpox can also develop shingles later on. The appearance of this infection during childhood is related, among other things, to:

• Intrauterine Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV) Infection. The increasing incidence of herpes zoster in otherwise healthy children may be due to a primary varicella infection in the womb, where immunity is not fully developed.
• Vaccination with live attenuated virus. The immune status at the time of primary infection is the main determinant of herpes zoster in children. Latent varicella-zoster virus (VZV) has been found in the dorsal root ganglia of children with no history of chickenpox and no epidermal involvement.

• Secondary to postnatal exposure to VZV at an early age. This probably happened during childhood, when the immune system was not yet fully developed.
• About 3% of pediatric cases of zoster occur in children with malignant neoplasms.

According to information published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, early childhood chickenpox is a risk factor for herpes zoster in children.

Symptoms of herpes zoster in children

In general, the development of this disease is milder in children, the average duration is 1 to 3 weeks. Those between the ages of 2 and 12 may have itchy and painful lesions. However, there is no acute neuropathic pain (Spanish link), which is the hallmark of herpes zoster in adults.

The infection is often localized to areas such as the trunk and buttocks, but can also appear on the arms, legs, or face. Every child has different symptoms, but the most common clinical manifestations are:

• Skin hypersensitivity in the area where herpes zoster occurs.
• Mild rash, appearing after five days as small red spots that later turn into blisters.

• These blisters then turn yellow and dry.
• A localized rash on one side of the body.
• Finally, it disappears within a week or two.

It is important to distinguish herpes zoster from herpes simplex zosteriform. You can tell by the monomorphic vesicular lesions in the latter, which are more common in children.

The treatment of herpes zoster in children

Treatment options for shingles depend on a child’s age, their immune status, the duration of their symptoms, and what they look like. The goals of most treatments include:

• Limit the severity
• Limit the duration of pain
• Shorten the duration of a shingles
• Reduce complications

The first line of treatment for herpes zoster in children is oral acyclovir, given four times a day. You can also start the treatment with topical antibiotics (Spanish link) and zinc sulfate supplements to prevent superinfections.

Children who develop ophthalmic herpes zoster should receive oral acyclovir. This is because of the documented effects it has on complications (Spanish link), such as anterior uveitis or stromal keratitis.

Precautions for self-medication

Acetaminophen (acetaminophen) is the preferred antipyretic agent. This is due to the association between aspirin and Reye’s syndrome (sudden onset, life-threatening encephalopathy and liver dysfunction).

It is also due to an epidemiological link between ibuprofen and an increased risk of invasive A streptococcal disease in the context of chickenpox, although not causally.

Important Considerations

Herpes zoster in children is not contagious, but despite this, anyone with this disease can transmit the chickenpox virus to those who have never had it.

Researchers have determined that such spread is only caused by direct contact with the blisters. Thus, the symptoms of this infection may resemble other skin conditions. Finally, you should see a doctor to get a proper diagnosis.