Herpes zoster virus or popularly known as shingles, is the reactivation of the chicken pox virus, which can be reactivated through psychological stress, x-ray treatments, drug therapy, or surgery. It is a viral infection that surfaces on the human skin in the form of a rash. Typically, the skin rash will appear on the upper region of the body and only affect the left or right side of the patient’s abdomen, back, arms, neck, or face.
Shingles is only passed on through direct contact with the fluid of the blisters in the rash. It cannot be passed on by breathing in the patient’s environment it can only transfer through physical contact. Furthermore, once the person has been infected they may suffer from several symptoms some of the symptoms that the patient will experience are a fever, headache, chills, upset stomach, itching, tingling, severe pain and vision loss. …show more content…
In that case, the healthcare provider whether it be a nurse or a doctor will run one of three test to identify the virus. The three test consist of a virus culture test, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, and the immunofluorescence assay test. The virus culture test is where the doctor or nurse takes a sample from the fluid in the blister or sometimes spinal fluid then the samples are sent to a laboratory, where it takes 1 - 14 days to detect the virus. The second test is the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test in this test the lab technician will take a fluid sample to test the DNA of the virus to identify what type of virus is present. The final test is the immunofluorescence assay test which is used to detect antibodies in order to identify the virus. Overall, identifying shingles is very important because it help keep the exposure of the virus at
Shingles is only passed on through direct contact with the fluid of the blisters in the rash. It cannot be passed on by breathing in the patient’s environment it can only transfer through physical contact. Furthermore, once the person has been infected they may suffer from several symptoms some of the symptoms that the patient will experience are a fever, headache, chills, upset stomach, itching, tingling, severe pain and vision loss. …show more content…
In that case, the healthcare provider whether it be a nurse or a doctor will run one of three test to identify the virus. The three test consist of a virus culture test, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, and the immunofluorescence assay test. The virus culture test is where the doctor or nurse takes a sample from the fluid in the blister or sometimes spinal fluid then the samples are sent to a laboratory, where it takes 1 - 14 days to detect the virus. The second test is the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test in this test the lab technician will take a fluid sample to test the DNA of the virus to identify what type of virus is present. The final test is the immunofluorescence assay test which is used to detect antibodies in order to identify the virus. Overall, identifying shingles is very important because it help keep the exposure of the virus at