Siddha Management of Herpes Zoster Developing Secondary Bacterial Infection During the course of illness: A Case Report

Abstract

Herpes zoster is caused by the reactivation of latent Varicella-zoster virus and is characterized by painful unilateral vesicular eruptions distributed along a dermatome. Secondary bacterial infection is a recognized complication that may delay healing and increase morbidity. A middle-aged female presented with painful vesicular eruptions associated with a burning sensation along a unilateral dermatome, consistent with herpes zoster. Two weeks after the onset of illness, the lesions developed secondary bacterial infection with pus formation. The patient was managed exclusively with Siddha medicine, without antimicrobial therapy. Progressive clinical improvement was observed during follow-up, with complete healing of the skin lesions and resolution of the secondary infection. At the final follow-up, the patient experienced only mild residual pain, with no recurrence or other complications. This case demonstrates successful clinical management of herpes zoster with secondary bacterial infection using Siddha medicine alone. Although the outcome was favourable in this patient, further well-designed clinical studies are needed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of Siddha interventions in the management of herpes zoster and its associated complications.