What viral infection is known to cause a painful rash corresponding to affected sensory nerves?

The correct answer is shingles, which is caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus responsible for chickenpox. After an initial chickenpox infection, the virus can lie dormant in the sensory nerve roots for many years. When it reactivates, it travels along the sensory nerves to the skin, leading to a painful rash that typically appears in a band or strip corresponding to the dermatome of the affected nerve. This is often accompanied by severe pain, itching, and sometimes burning sensations, making shingles distinct from the other options listed.

Chickenpox usually presents with an itchy rash that affects the entire body and is not localized to specific sensory nerves in the way shingles is. Measles and mumps are related viral infections that cause systemic symptoms and rashes but do not typically present with a localized painful rash that follows nerve distributions. Thus, shingles is the only choice that accurately describes a condition characterized by a painful rash linked to specific sensory nerve involvement.