Question:easy
Shingles is caused by which of the following?
Shingles is caused by which of the following?
Show Hint
It is the reactivation of the chickenpox virus.
Updated On: Jun 23, 2026
- Varicella-zoster virus
- Herpes simplex virus
- Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
- None
Show Solution
The Correct Option is A
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Identify the disease - herpes zoster (shingles) is a reactivation syndrome producing a painful, band-like dermatomal eruption.
Step 2: Trace the causative agent. The very same virus that caused chickenpox, varicella-zoster virus, lies dormant in sensory ganglia and re-emerges years later as shingles when immunity wanes.
Step 3: Rule out distractors. HSV gives recurrent oral or genital vesicles, and CMV affects the immunocompromised; neither produces classic dermatomal shingles, and the option None is wrong because a clear cause exists.
Step 4: The causative organism is varicella-zoster virus.
\[\boxed{\text{Varicella-zoster virus}}\]
Step 2: Trace the causative agent. The very same virus that caused chickenpox, varicella-zoster virus, lies dormant in sensory ganglia and re-emerges years later as shingles when immunity wanes.
Step 3: Rule out distractors. HSV gives recurrent oral or genital vesicles, and CMV affects the immunocompromised; neither produces classic dermatomal shingles, and the option None is wrong because a clear cause exists.
Step 4: The causative organism is varicella-zoster virus.
\[\boxed{\text{Varicella-zoster virus}}\]
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