How Do People Get Shingles?

Chickenpox

According to the Mayo Clinic, shingles is caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox: varicella-zoster. This is a type of herpes virus known as herpes zoster, not to be confused with the types of herpes that cause cold sores or genital herpes. Shingles can only be contacted by a person who has previously had chicken pox, as the virus lies dormant in the nervous system for decades.

Lowered Immunity

Although the cause of a shingles outbreak is unclear, it's believed that a lowered immune system may make a person more susceptible for the shingles virus to become active. People under extreme stress or those with autoimmune diseases seem to be more susceptible to a shingles outbreak. According to the Shingles Support Society, shingles is more common in older people, and 60 percent of the population will have had shingles by age 85. Conversely, if a person has had chickenpox and is exposed to the virus again, her chance of contacting shingles in the future becomes lower.

Contagion

You cannot contract shingles from an infected person, but a shingles patient is contagious nonetheless. The fluid from the shingles blisters carries the varicella-zoster virus, and a child or adult may become infected with chicken pox if he comes in direct contact with a shingles patient. Although some people claim to have contracted shingles without previously having chicken pox, this is not possible. They most likely either had a case so mild it was not diagnosed, or they had the disease when they were too young to remember the illness.

Prevention

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, in 2006 the National Food and Drug Administration approved a vaccine (Zostavax) to prevent shingles in people over age 60. Once the vaccine becomes available to the general public, there will be a means of preventing shingles and the number of cases is expected to be reduced by half.