Question

Does Herpes Zoster affect the male reproductive system in any way?

Answer 1

Herpes Zoster or Human Herpes Virus 3 causes reactivation of chicken pox in an older person mainly,who had been infected with HHV 3 in early life.

Explanation:

HZV has a tendency to undergo latency(which is both clinical and microbiological unlike HIV which is only clinical).

It mainly remains latent in the region of 3rd thoracic to 4th Lumbar ganglia(dorsal).

When the immunity wanes in a person,they get reactivated and propagate centrifugally along the sensory nerves coming from those ganglia and cause typical distribution of blister formation on the skin region which is supplied by those sensory nerves.

Now,if it undergoes latency in any of the sacral ganglion i.e ganglionic impar(known as such as they are not having 2 chain unlike in the cervical,thoracic and lumbar region; rather have a single chain),it can form blisters on genitals as male genital get nerve supply mostly from sacral and partly from lumbar ganglia.