MODEL RELEASED. Shingles rash affecting facial nerve. Shingles rash, inflammation and swelling seen around the right eye of a 76-year-old man. Shingles (herpes zoster) is the result of infection of sensory nerves by the varicella-zoster virus, which also causes chickenpox. The virus can remain dormant in the nerve tracts that emerge from the spine. When re-activated, rashes appear on the skin supplied by the affected sensory nerve. In this case, the rash has occurred along the superior (ophthalmic) sensory nerve (known as V1 distribution), the 1st branch of the facial nerve. This nerve branch supplies sensation to the eye area and other parts of the face. For the progression of this shingles attack, see images C047/3040 to C047/3045. Photographed at the start of this shingles episode.