Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) types typically cause infections in different body regions. HSV-1 is usually associated with lesions around the mouth and nose (oral herpes), while HSV-2 commonly leads to lesions in the genital area (genital herpes). HSV-3, also known as Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV), is the virus that causes chickenpox. When reactivated in adulthood, it leads to shingles (herpes zoster) disease.
Unlike other types, HSV-3 infection initially manifests with often sharper and stabbing pains. These pains typically appear in a band-like pattern in a specific skin area (dermatomal distribution) corresponding to the nerve pathway affected by the virus. Following the pain, pinpoint redness and blisters may develop in the same area, instead of fluid-filled vesicles. Shingles lesions generally heal without leaving scars, but pains often begin before the rash and can sometimes persist after the rash has healed (postherpetic neuralgia).