title: Herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia: past, present and future.
abstract: The history behind the current understanding of the varicella-zoster virus and its relationship to the pain conditions caused by shingles and postherpetic neuralgia are reviewed. The framework for the current conceptualization is Hope-Simpson's latency hypothesis. Data from recent work in virology, neuroanatomy and epidemiology are reviewed, as is work using varicella-zoster virus-infected animals. The recent data largely confirm Hope-Simpson's hypothesis and extend it significantly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, Faculty of Dentistry, and The Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. gary.bennett@mcgill.ca
authors.forename: Gary J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.forename: C Peter N
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Watson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000266:history / Q000628:therapy*; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D051474:Neuralgia, Postherpetic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000266:history / Q000628:therapy*; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology