Archive puzzle

Doctordle #71

Painful blistering rash in a stripe

Infectious DiseaseEasy

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Case notes

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Case summary

This archived Doctordle case was published on 2026-06-10. It presents "Painful blistering rash in a stripe" as a Easy Infectious Disease puzzle. The final answer is Shingles.

Answer

Shingles

Source

MedlinePlus

Topic pages verified on 2026-07-11

Information summarized from MedlinePlus.gov. MedlinePlus does not endorse Doctordle.

Six clues

  1. Clue 1

    A 62-year-old feels burning pain on one side of the torso.

  2. Clue 2

    A few days later, grouped blisters appear in a band.

  3. Clue 3

    The rash does not cross the midline in this fictional case.

  4. Clue 4

    The virus is related to an earlier childhood illness.

  5. Clue 5

    Nerve pain is a prominent clue.

  6. Clue 6

    The answer is also called herpes zoster.

Plain-language explanation

Shingles is a painful rash caused by reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus. The classic educational pattern is a one-sided band of pain and blisters.