Medically reviewed by Susan Bard, MD An itchy rash with blisters can be caused by an allergic reaction; an autoimmune ...

Smallpox, one of the biggest killers in history, is caused by a virus called variola. Variola causes a distinctive rash and is often lethal. The name variola comes from the Latin word for “spotted” ...

Shingles is a painful rash which occurs in someone who has previously had chickenpox. Ever since your mother had chickenpox the Varicella Zoster virus which caused it has laid silently in the ...

Visit Insider's Health Reference library for more advice. Shingles is an itchy skin rash caused by the same virus as chickenpox. It usually affects people over the age of 50, but it's possible to ...

Smallpox is caused by variola virus. It is contagious and will spread from person to person. A fever gives way to a rash, that turns into numerous poxes, skin eruptions that fill with fluid.

“The virus can be spread from person to person by direct contact, inhalation of aerosols from vesicular fluid of skin lesions of acute varicella or zoster (the fluid from the rash blisters); and ...