A skin rash caused by the varicella-zoster virus that causes pain, tingling, itching, and a rash of fluid-filled blisters.

• A. Shingles
• B. Chickenpox
• C. Herpes Zoster
• D. Varicella

Answer: (A)

Reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus in a sensory nerve leads to shingles, a localized, painful vesicular rash that follows a single dermatome. The pain, tingling, and itching often precede the rash, and the fluid-filled blisters appear in a band on one side of the body. This pattern is characteristic of shingles rather than the initial varicella infection.

Chickenpox, by contrast, shows a widespread rash with lesions in various stages across the body and often fever, not a single dermatomal distribution. Varicella refers to the virus or the primary chickenpox disease, while herpes zoster is another term for shingles; in practice, shingles is the common name used.