Chickenpox, Shingles, & Herpes

Chickenpox, Shingles, and Herpes – Symptoms and Treatment

Herpes is a huge family of viruses that cause a multitude of skin conditions and other illnesses. They are among the most common viral infections in humans, second only to flu and cold viruses. Here, we’re focusing on the most common members of the herpes family, the Varicella-Zoster virus, which causes both chickenpox and shingles, and the herpes simplex (HHV-1 and 2) viruses which typically manifest around the mouth (and are often called “cold sores” or “fever blisters”) or the genitals.