Orthomolecular therapy for blocking the agonizing clinical course of Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV) Infection

The two conditions, chickenpox (varicella) and shingles (zoster), are caused by a single virus; Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV). Chickenpox is a mild, highly contagious disease, mainly of children. Shingles is a sporadic incapacitation disease of adults or immunocompromised individuals, and it is characterized by rash which is limited to the skin innervated by a single sensory ganglion. Varicella and zoster occur worldwide. Meanwhile, varicella is a common epidemic of childhood mostly under the age of 10 and it is highly communicable. For zoster, it occurs sporadically mainly in adults and without seasonal prevalence. The varicella rash occurs approximately 2 weeks after respiratory infection and usually travels in multiple waves. In zoster, there is an acute inflammation of the sensory nerves and ganglia. Treatment of VZV is usually the symptomatic relief of symptoms. Topical calamine lotion may relieve pruritus and daily cleansing with warm water will help avoid secondary bacterial infection. In children, acyclovir usually decreases the symptoms by one day if taken within 24 hours of the start of the rash, but it has no effect on the complication rates. In adults, infection tend to be more severe and treatment with acyclovir and valacyclovir is advised if it can be accessed within 1 to 2 days of rash onset. The clinical course of Varicella-Zoster Virus infection is usually associated with intense pain and discomforts, which can be very agonizing to both children and adults. However, various clinical and anecdotal evidence have confirmed the effectiveness of a combination of Quercetin, Zinc, and vitamin C in blocking the agonizing clinical course of VZV. This same therapeutic effect has been recorded in other highly virulent viruses.