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What Are Sarcoidosis And Shingles?

Posted on Mon, 25 Nov 2013

Question: Hello Dr. Oana: What is sarcoid? How do you get it? What is shingles? Thank you.

Answered by Dr. Indranil Ghosh (33 minutes later)

Brief Answer: Sarcoidosis is an immune mediated disease Detailed Answer: Hi thanks for your query. Sarcoidosis is a poorly understood disease. It is thought to be due to an exaggerated immune response to an unknown antigen. It affects the lungs and lymph glands in the chest. Treatment is difficult and is usually done by immune suppressants. Because of immune suppressants the body may become prone to various infections. Shingles is one of these. It is an infection by herpes virus. It is manifested by vesicle in skin and lot of pain. It is treated by antivirals. Hope I have answered your query. I will be available to answer further followup queries, if any.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Indranil Ghosh (54 minutes later)

Hello Dr. Ghosh: What is immune mediated? If a person has been told he/she has enlarged lymph nodes and the person has small bumps over their body (with the exception of face and not below the knee), the rash is very painful and an ultrasound, ct scan confirmed the enlarged lymph nodes, is it possible that the person has sarcoid and shingles? Thank you. XXXX XXXXXXX

Answered by Dr. Indranil Ghosh (7 hours later)

Brief Answer: Please refer below Detailed Answer: Thanks for followup. Immunity is body's protective mechanism against any infection. In some cases, this mechanism gets exaggerated and itself causes damage to the body. These diseases are known as immune-mediated. Enlarged nodes in chest may be due to sarcoid but shingles is usually localised rash. Such extensive rash is unlikley to be due to shingles. There may be some other immune mediated disease going on which itself is causing the rash. Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Indranil Ghosh (32 hours later)

What ttype of specialist should I see regarding the enlaged lymph lodes and the rash thoughout my body (which I believe is shingles).

Answered by Dr. Indranil Ghosh (2 hours later)

Brief Answer: Respiratory physician and dermatologist Detailed Answer: You can start with these two specialties and if it is confirmed to be sarcoid or any other immune mediated disease, then a rheumatology consult will be required.

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar