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Is Shingles Contagious? Plus, How It Spreads
Shingles is not contagious, but someone can transmit the virus when the shingles rash is in the blister phase.
Shingles — also known as herpes zoster — is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox.
Shingles itself is not contagious, but the virus is. If you have shingles, you can pass the virus to another person, which could then cause them to develop chickenpox.
The varicella-zoster virus stays in that person's nerve tissue indefinitely. It may be inactive for most of a person's life but can reactivate and cause shingles.
Read on to learn more about shingles and how to prevent the transmission of the varicella-zoster virus.
The varicella-zoster virus can be transmitted through contact with open shingles blisters. It typically passes from someone with shingles to someone who has never had chickenpox. If a person has had chickenpox, they usually have antibodies against the virus in their body.
You cannot contract the virus through contact with the saliva or nasal secretions of someone who has shingles, except in rare cases. That means you usually can't acquire the virus if someone who has it coughs or sneezes on you.
Most people have the varicella-zoster virus in their bodies, but it only reactivates in around one-third of people. Experts do not know why some people develop it and others don't.
The chance of this happening increases as a person gets older. Around half of all cases occur after the age of 60 years, and the risk increases significantly from age 70 onward.
You might also have a higher risk if you:
Even a common cold can affect the immune system and trigger shingles in some people.
The most noticeable symptoms are blisters and pain.
BlistersThe outward symptoms of shingles look similar to chickenpox. Both diseases cause raised blisters that open, ooze fluid, and crust over.
But unlike the chickenpox rash, which can occur on different parts of your body, shingles usually affect one area of your body. Shingles blisters are most prevalent on your torso, which wraps around your waist on one side of your body. In fact, the word "shingles" comes from the Latin word for "belt."
The shingles rash may also appear on one side of your face. If this happens, contact a doctor immediately.
Learn more about what shingles looks like on the skin.
PainShingles travels along a nerve path, causing pain and strange sensations. Your skin might tingle or feel like it's burning before the blisters appear. Itching and sensitivity to touch are also symptoms of shingles.
Shingles pain varies in severity. It can be challenging to treat with over-the-counter pain relievers.
Some people experience nerve pain after the visible symptoms of shingles clear. This is known as postherpetic neuralgia. Approximately 10–18% of people with shingles develop postherpetic neuralgia, and the risk increases with age.
Other symptomsThe virus can cause symptoms unrelated to rashes, including:
Learn more about shingles without a rash here.
Shingles is not contagious. But if someone comes into contact with the rash at a certain stage, they may contract the varicella-zoster virus and develop chickenpox. If they have chickenpox, shingles can develop later in life.
To prevent transmitting the virus, keep shingles rashes covered. Cover the rash from when the blisters appear to when they crust and scab over.
This usually takes 7–10 days, and the broader rash will usually clear after 2–4 weeks.
The varicella-zoster virus is typically less likely to be transmitted with shingles than with chickenpox. However, the varicella-zoster virus can be passed on from when your symptoms start until your rash and blisters have crusted dry.
If you have shingles and are otherwise healthy, you can still go out in public or to work. But be sure to follow these tips:
Doctors recommend the chickenpox vaccine for children. Preventing chickenpox will also prevent shingles.
For adults, a different vaccine called Shingrix is available to help prevent shingles. Health experts recommend the vaccine for all healthy adults ages 50 years and older. A healthcare professional will give two doses, 2 to 6 months apart, as an injection in your arm.
A double dose offers over 90% protection. The protection level stays above 85% for at least 4 years.
You can get the vaccine even if you:
The vaccine is not suitable if you are currently experiencing shingles.
A shingles outbreak usually lasts 3–5 weeks. Most people experience pain and discomfort for a short period and then fully recover. People usually only have one episode of shingles in their lifetime.
Shingles outbreaks are temporary, but they can affect your health and well-being.
Shingles nerve pain can linger, lasting for weeks or even months in some cases. Generally, shingles pain is more persistent and longer lasting in older adults. Younger people usually show no signs of the disease once the blisters have cleared up.
Is it OK to be around someone with shingles?You cannot get shingles from someone who has shingles like you can with the flu. But if you've never had chickenpox or haven't been vaccinated against the varicella-zoster virus, you can contract the virus if you come into contact with the liquid inside a shingles blister.
You can develop chickenpox if you contract this virus.
Once you have the varicella-zoster virus in your body, it's possible for the virus to reactivate and for you to develop shingles at some point in your life if you're not vaccinated against shingles.
Since it's very rare to contract the virus through contact with the saliva or nasal secretions of someone who has shingles, if someone with shingles coughs or sneezes on you, you're not likely to get the varicella-zoster virus. However, it can be spread by the liquid inside shingles blisters.
Can I sleep in the same bed as someone with shingles?Maybe. If you have never had the varicella-zoster virus, you are at risk of contracting it if you come into contact with someone's shingles blisters or bedding that has liquid from the blisters on it.
Also, a person with shingles may be in pain or may have pain when touched.
How long does shingles last?A shingles outbreak usually lasts 3–5 weeks.
How long should you stay home with shingles?If you keep your blisters covered, you may not need to stay home at all. But shingles can be very painful, so you may not feel like going to work while you have blisters.
Can I be around my grandchildren if I have shingles?You can't spread shingles to your grandchildren, but if they have not had chickenpox or been vaccinated, they can contract the varicella-zoster virus and develop chickenpox.
Keeping your blisters covered while around your grandchildren (and anyone else) and washing your hands frequently should prevent spread.
Can shingles spread from kissing?It's unlikely you will contract the varicella-zoster virus from kissing since it's rarely spread from contact with saliva or mucous membranes.
However, if someone has a shingles rash with weeping blisters on their face or lips, you could contract the virus from kissing.
Can I touch my baby if I have shingles?Since no baby has been vaccinated for the varicella-zoster virus, they can contract it and may develop chickenpox.
As long as all blisters are well covered and your hands are clean, you should be able to touch your baby. You may need to avoid premature babies or infants with low birth weights.
You also need to be very vigilant about handwashing until all your blisters are fully crusted over.
Shingles is a rash that can affect people who have had chickenpox, even if they had it years ago. The varicella-zoster virus causes it. The virus remains dormant in the body, but in some cases, it can reactivate and cause shingles.
The shingles rash is not contagious. But the virus can be passed on to another person through contact with the rash when blisters are present. Then that person may develop chickenpox.
There is less chance of passing on the virus if the rash is covered, and transmission can only happen from the time blisters form to when they scab over.
Having the shingles vaccine can help protect you from shingles.
Shingles: What You Need To Know
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Shingles is a viral infection that results from the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), the same virus that causes chickenpox. It typically affects a single sensory nerve ganglion and the skin that the nerve supplies.
Anyone who has had chickenpox can later develop shingles.
In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 1 in 3 people in the United States develop shingles during their lifetime.
People can develop shingles if they had chickenpox in the past. This virus can lie dormant for years, and then reactivate as shingles. A person who has not had chickenpox before can get chickenpox through exposure to someone with shingles.
Shingles is most common after the age of 50, but it can appear at any age if a person has previously had chickenpox.
In this article, learn more about shingles, including symptoms, complications, and treatments.
Shingles usually affects one side of the body. This is most often the waist, chest, abdomen, or back. Symptoms can also appear on the face and in the eyes, mouth, ears. The virus can also affect some internal organs.
Shingles typically affects a single sensory nerve ganglion near the spinal cord, called a dorsal root ganglion. This is why the symptoms occur in specific areas of the body, rather than all over it. The pain results from nerve involvement, rather than the rash itself.
Symptoms can vary in nature, depending on where on the body they appear.
Some people have pain but no rash. Others may have a rash with pain that is accompanied by other symptoms, such as fever, chills, or headache.
Most common symptomsSome of the most common symptoms of shingles include:
A blistering skin rash may appear in one or more distinct bands with sensory nerves of the skin, called dermatomes.
Common locations for this include:
It usually occurs only on one side of the body.
The location of the symptoms will depend on which dermatome distribution the virus affects.
Facial symptomsIf the rash affects the face, symptoms usually appear on one side only — usually around one eye and the forehead.
They can include:
If the virus affects an ophthalmic nerve, it means that a person has herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO).
This can cause pain, redness, and swelling in and around the eye, as well as temporary or permanent loss of vision.
Ear symptomsShingles can also occur in or around the ear, leading to problems with balance and hearing, as well as muscle weakness on the affected side of the face.
These changes can be long-term or even permanent.
A person who develops symptoms in or around the ears and eyes should seek immediate medical attention to reduce the risk of complications.
Mouth symptomsIf shingles affects the mouth, a person may experience:
The pain and discomfort of these symptoms can make it difficult to eat or drink.
Internal shinglesShingles can also affect the internal organs. There will not be a rash, but other problems can arise.
For example, researchers have found evidence of shingles in the digestive system, which can lead to gastrointestinal dysfunction, and in the arteries in the brain, which may increase the risk of stroke and dementia.
Other symptomsThere may also be other symptoms, including:
Symptom progressionSymptoms typically progress as follows:
Shingles usually lasts around 2–4 weeks. It is contagious until the blisters dry up and crust over.
Most people will only have an episode of shingles once, but it can recur in some people.
When to see a doctorGetting treatment shortly after the onset of symptoms can help decrease the duration and severity of infection.
This is especially important for people over 60 and those who have a weakened immune system, as this could increase the risk of developing serious complications.
If the rash continues spreading to other parts of the body or other symptoms occur, such as high fever, it is best to consult with a doctor.
Additionally, those who develop a rash near the eye should seek immediate medical attention, as this can be a sign of HZO. The condition can cause scarring, vision loss, and permanent eye damage if left untreated.
A doctor may prescribe antiviral drugs to stop the virus from multiplying.
Antiviral treatment can help with:
In addition to antiviral drugs, there are several other ways to help manage symptoms, including:
To relieve itching, the CDC recommends:
Calamine lotion is available for purchase online.
Learn more home remedies for itching here.
Most people will recover with home treatment, but a person should seek medical help if other symptoms appear, such as a fever. Around 1–4% of people will need to spend time in the hospital due to complications.
Shingles results from VZV, the same virus that causes chickenpox. After a person recovers from chickenpox, the virus remains dormant in the sensory ganglia of their cranial nerve or the dorsal root ganglia within the peripheral nervous system.
VZV belongs to a group of viruses called herpes viruses. This is why shingles also has the name "herpes zoster."
All herpes viruses can hide in the nervous system, where they can remain indefinitely in a latent state.
Under the right conditions, the herpes zoster virus can reactivate, similarly to waking up from hibernation, and travel down nerve fibers to cause a new active infection.
What triggers this is not usually clear, but it may happen when something weakens the immune system, prompting the virus to reactivate.
It is not possible to directly transmit shingles to another person. However, a person who has never had chickenpox can contract the virus by coming into direct contact with the fluid in the blisters of a person who currently has shingles.
If this happens, and the person has not received a vaccination against chickenpox, they would develop chickenpox first, not shingles.
Shingles does not spread through coughing or sneezing. Only direct contact with fluid from the blisters can spread the virus. Therefore, covering the blisters reduces the risk of contagion.
It is important to note that the virus is only active from when the blisters first appear to when they dry up and crust over. Transmission is not possible before the blisters develop or after the crusts form. If a person does not develop blisters, the virus cannot spread in the traditional sense.
Taking the following precautions can help prevent the transmission of the virus:
It is also important for someone with shingles to avoid contact with:
Doctors usually diagnose shingles through a physical exam by evaluating the appearance of the rash and blisters on the body.
In some cases, they may collect a tissue sample from the fluid of the blisters and send it to a lab to check if the virus is present.
They may also conduct a blood test to look for antibodies, which can determine whether a person has ever been exposed to the virus.
Vaccination can offer protection from both chickenpox and shingles.
For children: Chickenpox vaccineExperts recommend routine immunization with the varicella vaccine (chickenpox vaccine) during childhood.
With two doses of the vaccine, there is at least a 90% chance of preventing chickenpox. Preventing chickenpox will also prevent shingles.
Children should receive the first dose at 12–15 months. The second dose is at 4–6 years.
Tests have shown the vaccine to be safe, though some children may experience:
Since vaccination started in children, the number of shingles cases has dropped.
Are vaccines safe or not? Learn more here.
Also, click here to learn more about the brands of childhood chickenpox vaccines.
For older adults: Shingles vaccineA different vaccine, the herpes zoster vaccine, is available for people aged 50 and older who have had chickenpox and therefore carry VZV. Experts also recommend this vaccine for those who have not had chickenpox or shingles.
In the U.S., 99.5% of people born before 1980 already have this virus in their system. The herpes zoster vaccine can help prevent shingles in people who already have the virus.
The options available are Zostavax and a newer vaccine called Shingrix.
After two doses of Shingrix, a person will have more than 90% protection against shingles, falling to just above 85% after 4 years, according to the CDC.
Who should not have the vaccine?People who should not have the shingles vaccine without first discussing it with their doctor include those who:
Although anyone who has had chickenpox can develop shingles, some people may be at a higher risk.
Possible risk factors and triggers include:
Rarely, complications can arise — especially in people with an impaired immune system.
Possible complications of shingles include:
According to the CDC, around 10–18% of people who have shingles will develop PHN, a long-term complication in which the pain of a shingles rash lasts long beyond the rash itself.
It is more likely to occur if a person develops shingles after the age of 40, and the risk continues to increase with age.
In people with weak immune systemsPeople with a weakened immune system will have a higher risk of developing shingles and of experiencing severe symptoms and complications.
This includes people who:
These people should seek medical attention as soon as possible if they have concerns about shingles-related symptoms.
What other precautions should a person take if they have a weak immune system? Find out here.
Anyone who has had chickenpox can develop shingles.
Most people make a full recovery from shingles within 3–5 weeks, but some experience severe complications. Those most at risk are people with a weakened immune system.
Getting the varicella vaccination during childhood can prevent both chickenpox and shingles. For those who did not have the vaccination in childhood, vaccines against shingles are available.
People aged 50 and older should talk to their doctor about the shingles vaccination.
Can A Person Get Shingles More Than Once?
Most people who develop shingles, also known as herpes zoster, only experience it once in their lifetime. However, it is possible to get shingles more than once.
The varicella-zoster virus (VZV) causes shingles and chickenpox. A person can only develop shingles if they have had chickenpox. After a person recovers from chickenpox, the virus remains inactive in their body.
Stress, some medications, and certain health conditions can reactivate the virus and trigger the symptoms of shingles. When shingles occurs more than once, doctors refer to it as recurrent shingles.
Recurrent shingles is more common among people with a compromised immune system.
In this article, we explain why some people may get shingles more than once. We also discuss the treatment and prevention options.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state that about 1 in 3 people in the United States will develop shingles at some point during their lifetime. Researchers consider recurrent shingles to be a rare occurrence, but they note that the rates could be increasing.
The main symptom of shingles is a stripe-like rash across the right or left side of the body and, sometimes, the face.
When a person first contracts VZV, they develop chickenpox, not shingles. Shingles only presents when the virus reactivates after lying dormant in nerve cells.
The virus transmits through open blisters on the rash. The fluid in the blisters contains the virus, so if a blister dries out and scabs over, it is unlikely that the virus will transmit to anyone else. However, a person should still be careful, especially if they apply a cream to the individual's sores.
Various factors that impair the immune system in some way can increase a person's risk of recurrent shingles.
These risk factors include:
The immune system becomes less effective with age, so individuals over the age of 50 years may experience more complications from shingles.
Shingles presents as a rash in a single stripe of clusters of blisters. It appears on the left or right side of the body and usually wraps around the back and torso, tending not to cross the center of the body. People with a weakened immune system may find that the rash covers a greater area.
A person may feel tingling, itching, or pain in their skin for several days before the rash emerges.
The CDC notes that the blisters typically scab over within 7–10 days, with the rash clearing in 2–4 weeks.
If the rash is on the face and near an eye, a person could be at risk of impaired vision and even sight loss. This complication is more common in people with a weakened immune system. A person should contact a doctor for advice if they have a rash near their eyes.
Blisters on the tip of the nose indicate that the virus is affecting the eyes. In these cases, a doctor will need to check the cornea for infection, which could lead to permanent clouding of this part of the eye.
Other possible symptoms of shingles include:
People should speak with a doctor as soon as they notice shingles symptoms, as early treatment can reduce the healing time.
Doctors treat shingles with antiviral medications, such as:
Pain is a common symptom of shingles. A person can take over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers to alleviate pain, or a doctor may prescribe a more potent pain reliever if the pain is severe.
A person can try applying calamine lotion and having an oatmeal bath to soothe the rash and blisters. People who experience sensations of burning, tingling, or itching may find relief from applying a wet flannel to the affected areas.
A person should keep the rash as clean and dry as possible to prevent a secondary bacterial infection. Covering the rash with a nonstick dressing can further protect the sores from bacteria.
The Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) states that the Shingrix vaccine is 90% effective in preventing shingles from developing. Currently, healthcare professionals give this vaccine to people aged 50 years and older.
The HHS explains that a person needs two doses of the vaccine with a gap of 2–6 months between them.
People still need the Shingrix vaccine if they:
As well as receiving the vaccine, a person should aim to keep their immune system as strong as possible by eating a nutritious, balanced diet and staying active.
Doctors may not recommend the shingles vaccine for people with a severely compromised immune system.
The most common complication of shingles is postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), which is long-term nerve pain. A person with PHN may feel pain in the area of the shingles rash for months or years after it goes away.
The older a person is when they develop shingles, the higher the risk of PHN. People younger than 40 years are unlikely to experience PHN.
Other shingles complications include:
Recurrent shingles may be a sign that a person has an underlying health condition that is weakening their immune system.
Some chronic conditions that researchers associate with recurrent shingles include:
A person should speak with a doctor if they notice shingles symptoms. The first symptom of shingles is usually painful and tingling skin, which can sometimes also be itchy. Other early symptoms include fever and an upset stomach.
If the pain is severe or OTC pain relievers are not working, a person should talk with their doctor about taking prescription pain relievers.
If the rash spreads to the face and is near the eyes, a person should ask a doctor for advice. Shingles around the eyes could lead to severe complications, including vision loss.
The following are frequently asked questions about shingles.
Why do I keep getting shingles in the same place?A person is likely to develop shingles in the same place as it most commonly develops on the left or right side of the body, in a single stripe. It can also develop on one side of the face.
Is it common to get shingles on your buttocks?Shingles most commonly appears on the trunk, but it can develop on the buttocks.
Learn more about shingles on the buttocks.
How do you get rid of recurring shingles?Although it is possible to develop shingles more than once, it is rare. If a person is experiencing recurrent shingles, they should speak with a doctor. Treatment for recurrent shingles is the same as treating shingles for the first time.
What triggers shingles outbreaks?Shingles develops when the herpes zoster virus reactivates. This can happen when a person's immune system is lowered.
Recurrent shingles occurs when a person repeatedly develops shingles. Risk factors for recurrent shingles include stress, immunosuppressant medications, and HIV.
Doctors recommend that people aged 50 years and over get two doses of the Shingrix vaccine to help prevent shingles. The first-line treatment for shingles is an antiviral medication. People can soothe their shingles symptoms at home by taking OTC pain relievers and applying calamine lotion to their skin.
It is important to keep the rash and blisters clean and dry to prevent infection and transmission. After the blisters scab over, shingles is no longer contagious.
If a person repeatedly develops shingles, they may have an underlying health condition affecting their immune system.
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