[Clinical aspect of herpes zoster and the pathogenesis of symptomatic cranial nerve zosters].

The prognosis of shingles is generally good, however if cranial nerves are affected, the course of disease may be very serious. It is still doubtful if latent virus-in the sense of a trigger mechanism-may be activated by dental surgical interventions and cause a symptomatic herpes zoster of cranial nerves. Serious loss of teeth as an oral manifestation of shingles, with panostitis and retarded healing show the seriousness of the tissue changes. The virus can invade the plexus between the facial and trigeminal nerves and can thus travel within the same epineural sheath from one nerve to the other. It follows that in each case of a herpes zoster of cranial nerves, irrespective of location, no dental surgery should be undertaken, even in the initial stage, because - it may increase the extension of the disease along the nerves - it may cause a viraemia - it may initiate uncalled for intraoperative and postoperative complications. Therapy with high doses of antibiotics is indicated.