Isolation Duration for Herpes Zoster

Isolation Recommendations

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that immunocompetent healthcare personnel with localized herpes zoster cover their lesions and restrict their care of high-risk patients until all lesions dry and crust 1
Immunocompetent athletes with herpes zoster should be excluded from competition until all lesions are fully crusted or until a physician provides written documentation that the condition is noninfectious, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics 2, 3
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends complete exclusion from duty for immunocompromised patients or those with disseminated disease until all lesions dry and crust 1

In immunocompetent hosts, lesions typically continue to erupt for 4-6 days, with a total disease duration of approximately 2 weeks, according to the Infectious Diseases Society of America 5
Infected persons remain contagious until all lesions are crusted, typically 4-7 days after rash onset, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 6, 7
Immunocompromised patients may develop lesions over 7-14 days and heal more slowly without effective antiviral therapy, as noted by the Infectious Diseases Society of America 4, 5

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that healthcare personnel without evidence of varicella immunity who are exposed to disseminated zoster or localized zoster with uncontained/uncovered lesions should be excluded from duty from day 8 after first exposure through day 21 (or day 28 if varicella-zoster immune globulin was administered) after last exposure 1
If varicella develops, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends exclusion until all lesions dry and crust 1