Shingles

Shingles

Shingles, or herpes zoster, is an infection caused by the varicella zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. After a person recovers from chickenpox, the virus stays in the body in an inactive state. In some people, the virus can reactivate years later and cause shingles. Herpes zoster is not caused by the same virus that causes genital herpes, which is a sexually transmitted disease.

Shingles causes a painful rash illness. Although shingles can occur anywhere on your body, it most often appears as a single strip of blisters that wraps around either the left or the right side of your torso. Shingles can spread through direct contact with the fluid from shingles rash blisters, or by breathing in virus particles that come from the blisters. People who have chickenpox are more likely to spread the varicella zoster virus than people who have shingles. Almost 1 out of every 3 people in the US will develop shingles. Anyone who has ever had chickenpox may develop shingles. Adults are best protected by getting the shingles vaccine. Children can be protected by getting the chickenpox vaccine. This will help them avoid ever getting this virus.