by Laila Khan

Created on: July 11, 2008   Last Updated: July 16, 2008

Most people had chickenpox as a child, then dealt with the itchy sores that came with it. It lasted for a week or so and then left with little problem. What many do not know about this little childhood disease is that approximately twenty percent of people who have chickenpox as a child develop shingles later in life. Shingles, or herpes zoster, is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox, the varicella zoster virus.

The varicella zoster virus essentially lives in the body, even after the chickenpox sores have disappeared. There are many things that can cause the virus to bring about shingles, including extreme stress, immune deficiency from chemotherapy or AIDS, or cancer. In many cases, however, no cause is found. The group that is typically at risk for developing shingles are those sixty years of age or older that had chickenpox as a child.

The characteristic symptom of shingles is rash and blisters. Before this rash appears, pain, numbness, or itch will affect one the body in one specific area, typically on the torso. The rash appears less than a week later, with fluid-filled sores. Shingles can cause itching and/or pain.

A vaccine, Zostavax, has been created for the risk group for shingles. This vaccine has been shown to decrease the prevalence of shingles by a half, and decrease the severity of symptoms in those that still got the disease. The disease itself is treated with anti-viral medications. Other prescription medications are used to treat the later effects of shingles, known as postherpetic neuralgia. Steroids, anti-depressants, anti-convulsants, and topical agents can be prescribed if the anti-viral medications are not effective. With treatment, shingles typically subsides in three to five weeks with the blisters leaving no scars. However, those who have immune deficiency have a much more difficult time getting over shingles.

Shingles itself is not contagious. A person with shingles can pass the virus to another, such as a child, but the virus will cause chickenpox and not shingles. Shingles is only caused by the varicella zoster virus that has been inside a person's body for a prolonged period of time.

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