Chicken pox, shingles, varicella, zoster – whatever you call it, patients benefit from scientific research

You’ve probably heard that childhood chicken pox can reemerge as shingles as an adult – in about one third of all adults, in fact, and as many as half of those who live to be 85. You’ve probably not heard that this same varicella-zoster virus (VZV) can directly cause stroke and heart attack, cognitive impairment, burning mouth syndrome, vision loss, bowel and bladder dysfunction, irregular heartbeat and a growing list of other problems – often with no hint of the excruciating zoster rash.