Zona - ROS - 2017 - Tome 46 - N°2

GENERAL FEATURES
The varicella zoster virus (VZV) belongs to the Herpesviridae family and represents with type 1 and 2 herpes simplex virus the sub-family of alphaherpes - virinae. VZV is an ubiquitous virus which appears during the primary infection with a vesicular eruption characteristic of varicella (also known as chickenpox and during recurrences with an eruption of metameric disposition corresponding to zona (Bonmarin I. et al., 2005.).

The main vectors of the virus are the secretions of the upper respiratory tract, bronchial secretions and cutaneous vesicles. The virus has a high transmissibility, the attack rate in a susceptible individual is 86.6% after an intra-family contact, from 10 to 35% after a less intimate contact within a community and up to 25% around a case of zona (Bonmarin I. et al., 2005).

Agenda