Family Medicine

Answer 6 15 times higher. The incidence of herpes zoster is about 15 times higher in HIV-infected patients than in persons who are uninfected. Decreased cell-mediated immunity is thought to account for this increased incidence of varicella-zoster virus reactivation. The development of herpes zoster in HIV-infected patients is not associated with duration of HIV infection and does not predict the progression of HIV to AIDS. Patients with certain malignancies, such as Hodgkin’s lymphoma, are at increased risk for herpes zoster as well. Radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and chronic corticosteroid use may also increase the risk of developing herpes zoster. Click here to return to the questions

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