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Updated: Feb 8, 2026

Plaquing of Herpes Simplex Viruses
Published on: November 5, 2021
Is High Altitude a Risk Factor in Development of Herpes Zoster?
G K Singh1, Mahendra Singh Deora2, Rajan Grewal3
11 Department of Dermatology, Military Hospital Kirkee , Affiliated to AFMC, Pune, India .
Abstract:
Singh, G.K., Mahendra Singh Deora, Rajan Grewal, A. Kushwaha, and Sukhmeet Minhas. Is high altitude a risk factor in development of herpes zoster? High Alt Med Biol. 19:244-248, 2018.
Background:
Old age immune-compromised states are known to increase the risk of herpes zoster (HZ). The aim of this study was to find out whether arrival into high altitude poses a risk for the development of HZ in lowlanders.
Methods:
A retrospective study of 173 cases of HZ was carried out between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2010 in people working at high altitude areas of Leh. Data of lowlander people working at high altitude were compared with that of high altitude native and similar group of people working at plains during the same period.
Results:
HZ constitutes 2.36% (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.04-2.73) of total skin outpatient department cases at a hospital at high altitude, whereas it was 0.23% (95% CI, 0.18-0.29) at a tertiary hospital at plains. In lowlanders working at high altitude, frequency of herpers zoster varied between 2.63% and 3.59% with mean of 3.07%. Frequency of HZ in persons presenting to a tertiary dermatological center at plains varied from 0.19% to 0.26% (mean of 0.23%). Presence of high altitude posed a risk of almost seven times in developing HZ in comparison with its absence with odds ratio of 7.21 and 95% CI varying from 5.42 to 9.60. This result was statistically very significant with p value <0.0001.
Conclusions:
Lowlanders working at high altitude are at high risk to develop HZ in comparison with persons working at plains. However, a large population-based study is required to investigate and establish the same.
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