Shingles
Shingles, also referred as herpes zoster, is a viral infection which appears as a single strip of blisters caused by the varicella-zoster virus. The same virus causes <chicken pox> after which it lies dormant in your nerve tissues for years before reactivating as shingles. It usually appears on one side of the body as a single stripe of blisters, typically on the torso, face, or neck. It mostly causes burning and pain.
A person with shingles can transfer the varicella-zoster virus to another person by direct contact to the shingles rash. However, the person infected will likely get
chicken pox due to the virus, rather than shingles.
You are at a higher risk of getting shingles if you:
-
are above fifty years of age
-
have a weak immune system due to certain diseases like diabetes, autoimmune diseases or
HIV/AIDS
-
have undergone chemotherapy or radiation therapy
-
have taken certain medications which weaken the immune system, like drugs or steroids given after organ transplant
Shingles can last for two to six weeks and may appear more than once but that happens rarely.
