What is Shingles?
Shingles, formally known as herpes zoster, is a reactivation of the dormant chickenpox virus. In individuals who have contracted chickenpox, the zoster virus lies dormant in the nerves for decades before being reactivated and erupting into shingles--painful skin lesions that can last for over a week and often leave remnant nerve pain called postherpetic neuralgia. This neuralgia has been reported to last for many months after the shingles rash disappears. Though the triggering factors that lead to zoster virus reactivation have not been wholly identified, there are several risk factors that are correlated with an increase in the likelihood of catching shingles.
Contact With Infected People
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has noted that shingles lesions contain concentrated amounts of the zoster virus, which can be transmitted through the air or through skin-to-skin contact with open, oozing lesions. Airborne transmission of the virus most often causes chickenpox in susceptible individuals who have never had the disease. Direct skin contact with lesions, on the other hand, results in transmission of the shingles virus. The shingles rash should be considered highly contagious until the lesions have crusted over, or are covered by clothing or bandages.
Advanced Age
Advanced age is one predominant risk factor for catching shingles, and half of shingles cases occur in individuals older than 60. This may be due to a wane in a person's cellular immunity over time. Shingles has also been found to occur more often in immunocompromised individuals, such as those with HIV. In elderly people who catch shingles, the risk of developing postherpetic neuralgia following shingles infection is relatively high. The CDC estimates that 80 percent to 85 percent of cases of shingles-related neuralgia occur in individuals over 50.
Physical and Psychological Stress
Like genital herpes, outbreaks of the herpes zoster virus that causes shingles have been correlated with physical and psychological stress and trauma. A case control study at Duke University Medical Center found a significant association between shingles outbreak and stressful psychological events occurring 6 months before the outbreak. Several case reports and case control studies reviewed by the CDC report an association between surgery or physical trauma and shingles outbreaks. People who may be at risk of catching shingles are encouraged to talk to their doctors about immunization vaccinations against this disease.
References
- CDC -- Prevention of Herpes Zoster
- Journal of the American Geriatric Society; Are stressful life events risk factors for herpes zoster?; Schmader K et al; November 1990.
- Herpes zoster (shingles) and postherpetic neuralgia
