Herpes zoster ophthalmicus Herpes zoster ophthalmicus Herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO) and also known as ophthalmic zoster is a disease characterised by reactivation of dormant varicella zoster virus residing within the ophthalmic nerve (the first division of the trigeminal nerve). This condition is an important subtype of shingles, representing 15% of all cases. Herpes zoster ophthalmicus is transmitted via direct contact or droplets. Varicella zoster virus is a DNA virus which produces acidophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies. The virus is neurotrophic in nature. The frontal nerve is more commonly affected than the nasociliary nerve or lacrimal nerve. Anterior uveitis develops in 40–50% of cases with
Disease-modifying antirheumatic drug Disease-modifying antirheumatic drug Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) is a category of otherwise unrelated drugs defined by their use in rheumatoid arthritis to slow down disease progression. The term is often used in contrast to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (which refers to agents that treat the inflammation but not the underlying cause) and steroids (which blunt the immune response but are insufficient to slow down the progression of the disease). The term "antirheumatic" can be used in similar contexts, but without making a claim about an effect on the course. Other terms that have historically been used to refer to the same