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
Respiratory disease In the UK, approximately 1 in 7 individuals are affected by some form of chronic lung disease, most commonly chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which includes asthma, chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Respiratory diseases (including lung cancer) are responsible for over 10% of hospitalizations and over 16% of deaths in Canada. In 2011, respiratory disease with ventilator support accounted for 93.3% of ICU utilization in the United States. Respiratory disease Respiratory disease is a medical term that encompasses pathological conditions affecting the organs and tissues that make gas exchange possible in higher organisms, and includes conditions of the upper respiratory tract, trachea,