Case-control study of the effect of mechanical trauma on the risk of herpes zoster

An overview of case control study designed to investigate whether mechanical trauma is associated with increased risk of herpes zoster is presented. The study found that trauma increases the risk of zoster at the trauma site, but not elsewhere.

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Bibliographic Details
Published inBMJ Vol. 328; no. 7437; pp. 439 - 440
Main Authors Thomas, S L, Wheeler, J G, Hall, Andrew J
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published London British Medical Journal Publishing Group 21.02.2004
BMJ Publishing Group
British Medical Association
BMJ Publishing Group LTD
BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
EditionInternational edition
Subjects
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Biological and medical sciences
Case control studies
Case studies
Contusions - complications
Exanthema
Group medical practices
Herpes viruses
Herpes zoster
Herpes Zoster - epidemiology
Herpes Zoster - etiology
Human viral diseases
Humans
Infectious diseases
London - epidemiology
Medical research
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Miscellaneous
Nerves
Physical trauma
Regression Analysis
Risk Factors
Surgical specialties
Traumas. Diseases due to physical agents
Tropical medicine
Viral diseases
Viral diseases with cutaneous or mucosal lesions and viral diseases of the eye
Wounds and Injuries - complications
Wounds and Injuries - etiology
London
Infection
Human
Medicine
Skin disease
Nervous system diseases
Herpes zoster
Viral disease
Risk factor
Risk
Case control study
Trauma
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Summary:An overview of case control study designed to investigate whether mechanical trauma is associated with increased risk of herpes zoster is presented. The study found that trauma increases the risk of zoster at the trauma site, but not elsewhere.
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Correspondence to: S L Thomas
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We thank all the patients who agreed to take part in the study; Albion Street Health Centre; Aylesbury Partnership; Belmont Hill Surgery; Brixton Hill Group Practice; Camberwell Green Surgery; Crown Dale Medical Centre; Grange Road Practice; Downham Way Surgery; Forest Hill Group Practice; Isidore Crown Health Centre; Jenner Health Centre; Lee Road Surgery; Mawbey Brough Health Centre; New Surgery, Clapham; Paxton Green Health Centre; Queens Road Partnership; Sternhall Lane Surgery; Sydenham Green Group Practice; Torridon Road Surgery; Judy Breuer for helpful discussions on the diagnosis of zoster and for analyses of the polymerase chain reactions.
Contributors: AJH conceived the study, and all authors contributed to the design. SLT ran the study, did the interviews, managed the data, and did the statistical analyses with input from AJH and JGW. All authors interpreted the findings and wrote the manuscript. SLT is guarantor.
Funding: SLT was funded initially by a research studentship from the Medical Research Council (UK) and then by the Research Foundation for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University.
Competing interests: None declared.
Correspondence to: S L Thomas sara.thomas@lshtm.ac.uk
Table A on bmj.com gives details of 14 people who had recent trauma at the site of subsequent rash in the case
Ethical approval: Research ethics committees of Kings Healthcare, Guy's Hospital, St Thomas's Hospital, Lewisham Hospital Trust, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
ISSN:0959-8138
0959-8146
1468-5833
1756-1833
DOI:10.1136/bmj.37991.511829.F7