David asks…
Are shingles contagious in the shower?
my dad just found out he has shingles. and i am 5 months pregnant but i’ve already had chicken pox. and i have two younger brothers who’ve never had chicken pox. we only have one shower at home. is it contagious enough to get it if we all use the same shower?
admin answers:
You are at a very high risk of getting shingles just because you have had chicken pox. The virus that causes chicken pox stays dormant in your body and may open again and give you shingles. I would be very careful. Make sure your dad has bandages over the blisters to keep the virus from spreading.
Donna asks…
How contagious are shingles? Medical professionals, please.?
Explain fully how shingles are contagious. I have a granddaughter who has had the vaccine and a pregnant daughter having contractions even as I type. I have a small patch of shingles (I caught it within 72 hours), I have been taking Valtrex for 6 days and one of the lesions broke today and I expect the rest to break really soon.
admin answers:
I am not a medical professional, but am interested in the subject and have read a lot about it.
Shingles is only contagious through direct contact with the fluid from the blisters. If you just have a small patch, cover it with clothing or a bandage, wash your hands, and enjoy meeting your new grandchild!
Helen asks…
Is shingles contagious? What if the blisters/rash is drying up?
I had chickenpox as a child; however, I am on immunosuppressive drugs (Imuran and Pentasa) for Crohn’s disease. Am I at increased risk of “catching” shingles because of this immunocompromised state?
admin answers:
You probably are at increased risk. Shingles is “sort of” contagious–It’s the same virus that causes chicken pox, so a person can be exposed to the virus. If they haven’t had chicken pox they can catch it. A healthy person who has already had chicken pox won’t catch shingles from someone who has it through casual contact. It’s not spread by sneezing, coughing, etc. However, it can be contagious through the blisters until they crust over.
Susan asks…
Shingles Contagious for someone with a low immune system /heart disease? ?
I am a Personal Care Attendant for a girl that has Autism, she currently has Shingles. I am concerned with my already low immune system and heart disease that I may get infected. She is ichy and of course I need to help her wash her hands. I am to wondering if I should tell my employer that they need to find someone else to watch my client at least for a couple of days? Any suggestions? Please help!
admin answers:
I agree that you should make efforts to protect your health. At the same time, research on things to improve your immune system. There are so many choices on this Internet. You can always go to a local naturopath. My children no longer have autism from things I learned on this Internet, so do some research and get your immune system back up before you get too sick to have the energy to do so.
Sharon asks…
How are Shingles Contagious?
My father has Shingles. My mother who takes care of my 4 month old son has already had them. Could she still be a carrier of them to my husband/myself and my son? How long should she stay away from us, if so?
My mother had shingles 20 years ago… again the question is, can SHE carry potentially give me/my baby the virus (chicken pox) from being around my dad (who currently has shingles) then coming and caring for my baby?
admin answers:
According to the CDC, yes, people with shingles are contagious to persons who have not had chickenpox. Therefore, people who have not had chickenpox can catch chickenpox if they have close contact with a person who has shingles. However, you can not catch shingles itself from someone else. Shingles is caused by the chickenpox virus which has been dormant (staying quiet) in your body ever since you had chickenpox. So, you get shingles from your own chickenpox virus, not from someone else.
In general, if you can keep all of the zoster lesions well covered, then the children won’t have direct contact with them and shouldn’t be at much risk. The American Academy of Pediatrics states that ‘lesions that are covered appear to pose little risk to susceptible individuals.’
WebMD cites this study :
As early as 1909 a German scientist suspected that the viruses causing chickenpox and shingles were one and the same. In the 1920’s and 1930’s the case was strengthened. In an experiment, children were inoculated with fluid from the lesions of patients with shingles. Within 2 weeks about half the children came down with chickenpox. Finally in 1958 detailed analyses of the viruses taken from patients with either chickenpox or shingles confirmed that the viruses were identical.
This study also proved that a person with shingles can pass the virus to individuals who have never had chickenpox, but these individuals will develop chickenpox not shingles. A person with chickenpox cannot communicate shingles to someone else. In order for people to develop shingles they must already harbor the virus in their nervous system, and for those who do harbor the virus, having contact with someone with chickenpox will not trigger shingles. Additionally, a person with shingles cannot communicate shingles to another individual.
Hope this helps!
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