Answer
Shingles, also known as Herpes Zoster, is a re-activation of the Varicella Zoster virus (VZV) that also causes chickenpox. The virus must have been previously acquired from exposure to VZV during a chickenpox infection or exposure to the chickenpox vaccine. Shingles is the reactivation of the virus inside of a nerve, causing pain in that nerve and blisters or redness in the skin that contains that nerve.
What causes shingles?
The VZV virus remains dormant inside of a nerve until deciding to reactivate. This can happen spontaneously (as a person gets older) or can be triggered by a weakened immune system from another infection, a medication, or a disease. The virus usually only appears in the area of the body that contains the infected nerve, but in severely ill patients it can spread throughout the body.
Are there any treatments for shingles?
There is no way to completely 'turn off' the shingles infection. If caught in the first 1-2 days of an outbreak, you may be offered anti-viral medication that may shorten the duration of the infection. Later on, treatment is focused on pain relief.
Is shingles contagious?As long as you are immune to VZV (through previous chickenpox infection or exposure to the vaccine) and you have a healthy immune system, you cannot "catch" shingles. However, if you have never been exposed to VZV, there is a chance that you can get chickenpox from touching an open blister.
Is there anything I can do to prevent shingles?
There is some data that shows that people who were vaccinated against VZV in childhood may have a decreased risk of developing shingles. A vaccine has recently been approved for use in adults and has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of a person developing shingles later on. This should soon be available to the public.
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