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EPIDEMIC AND SYMPTOMATIC TYPES
Two main types of herpes zoster can be differentiated: the epidemic type, sometimes called primary, specific, idiopathic or true herpes zoster, and the symptomatic type, often called a secondary, nonspecific or zosteriform eruption. The last term was suggested by Darier in 1923, and by Teague, Goodpasture and Lipschütz, in 1924.
EPIDEMIC TYPE
True zoster is contagious and bears a resemblance to varicella, encephalitis and anterior poliomyelitis. An attack usually conveys immunity, and, like other exanthems, recurrence is unusual. It presents many symptoms commonly observed with eruptive febrile diseases, such as malaise, digestive disturbances and fever, which usually subside with the appearance of the eruption. True zoster runs a definite course, is not related to other disease and often appears in epidemics. Von Hoffmann, in 1879, reported one of the first epidemics of ophthalmic zoster, of 24 cases with ocular complications, during an