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shingles?

5K views 20 replies 13 participants last post by  Smelt 
fordy said:
Shingles is caused by the shot that you got to prevent you from getting the Chicken Pox. It is a first cousin of the hearpes virus but is NOT contagious(sp) nor can it be transmitted like its cousin........fordy :)
Actually you are incorrect on 2 important points:

1) Shingles is not caused by the vaccine, it is caused by the individual previously being infected with the Chicken pox virus. Once infected with the chicken pox virus, the virus continues to live in your nerve endings after the "pox" are gone and shingles is a secondary outbreak of the virus.

2) Individuals with an active outbreak of Shingles are contagious because they can infect others with the chicken pox virus.

If you want to hear this from an authority then read this From the Mayo Clinic Web page (http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?id=DS00098)

"Shingles (herpes zoster) is a common condition in which the virus that causes chickenpox (varicella-zoster virus) reactivates after years of lying dormant in your body. As the virus reactivates, it causes pain and tingling and eventually a rash of short-lived blisters.

Shingles normally isn't a serious condition, but in some people the rash can cause an eye infection. Shingles can also lead to a complication called postherpetic neuralgia, which can cause the skin to remain painful and sensitive to touch for months or years. When identified early, shingles can be treated with prescription medications that help shorten the infection and reduce the risk of complications."

Risk factors
"About 20 percent of people who have had chickenpox eventually develop shingles. The virus is more likely to reappear in adults age 50 or older or people with weakened immune systems. Most people develop shingles only once, but recurrences are possible.

Shingles isn't contagious, but the virus can cause chickenpox in anyone who hasn't had chickenpox before, and the infection can be serious for certain groups of people. If you have blisters from shingles, avoid physical contact with:

* Anyone who's never had chickenpox
* Anyone with a weakened immune system
* Newborns
* Pregnant women, because the infection is dangerous to a growing fetus

Once your blisters scab over, you're no longer contagious."

The Mayo Clinic has a lot more information about shingles (treatment, self care, etc.). I heartily recommend that site as a great source of medical information.

-soap
 
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