Anyone who has had chickenpox in the
past is at risk for developing shingles. Children are even able to get
shingles. Shingles is caused by varicella zoster virus and it is able to be
transmitted person to person with active shingles and cause chicken pox if they
are either not vaccinated or have not had it before (3). Transmission occurs
when a person comes into with fluid from the rash blisters but when the blister
crusts over then the person is no longer infectious. People who have shingles
may develop the disease more than once (3).
(6).
The rash that a person develops is
quite unique since it is very painful and only develops on one side of the body
or face along the nerve (2). About 1 in 10 people will develop pain along the
nerve that last for months to years after the rash disappears, called
postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) and it is actually one of the most common
complication of shingles (1). The rash
will typically scab over 7-10 days and fully clear up within 2-4 weeks. Before
the rash appears the person may experience pain, itching, or tingling where the
rash will develop. They may also have a
fever, headache, chills, and an upset stomach (1). Shingles may lead to other
serious complications that involve the causing blindness. It also rarely may
lead to pneumonia, hearing problems, brain inflammation, or death (1).
About 1 out of 3 people in the US will
develop shingles in their lifetime (1). People who have had chicken pox are at
risk for developing shingles. The only way to protect against shingles is the
Shingles vaccine (5). Two shingles vaccines are licensed and recommended in the
US. One is Zoster Vaccine Live (ZVL, Zostavax) and it has been used since 2006.
The second is recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV, Shingrix) and used since 2017.
Shingrix is actually recommended and the preferred shingles vaccine (4). The
CDC recommends that adults 50 and older get 2 doses of Shingrix as the
preferred vaccine separated by 2-6 months. Shingrix is 90% effect at preventing
shingles and PHN and protection stays above 85% for at least 4 years after
being vaccinated (5). In an ideal world this disease could potentially be
eradicated since humans are its only reservoir (7).
Resources:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019, June 26). Shingles. Retrieved May 07, 2020, from https://www.cdc.gov/shingles/about/index.html
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019, July 01). Shingles. Retrieved May 07, 2020, from https://www.cdc.gov/shingles/about/symptoms.html
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019, July 01). Shingles. Retrieved May 07, 2020, from https://www.cdc.gov/shingles/about/transmission.html
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019, July 01). Shingles. Retrieved May 07, 2020, from https://www.cdc.gov/shingles/vaccination.html
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2018, January 25). Shingrix Shingles Vaccination. Retrieved May 07, 2020, from https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/shingles/public/shingrix/index.html
- Doheny, K. (2019, January 11). More Shingles Vaccine On the Way, Maker Says. Retrieved May 07, 2020, from https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/shingles/news/20190110/more-shingles-vaccine-on-the-way-maker-says
- Marin, M., & Lopez, A. S. (2019, June 24). Varicella (Chickenpox) - Chapter 4 - 2020 Yellow Book. Retrieved May 07, 2020, from https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2020/travel-related-infectious-diseases/varicella-chickenpox
