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Varicella Disease (Chickenpox)

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  Description

  A virus of the herpes family

  Symptoms

  A skin rash of blister-like lesions, usually on the face, scalp, or trunk

  Complications

  Bacterial infection of the skin, swelling of the brain, and pneumonia (usually more severe in children 13 or older and adults)

  Transmission

  Spread by coughing and sneezing (highly contagious)

  Vaccine

  Varicella vaccine can prevent this disease.

Shingles (Herpes Zoster)

1. What is shingles (herpes zoster)?

Shingles, also called herpes zoster or zoster, is a painful skin rash caused by the varicella zoster virus (VZV). VZV is the same virus that causes chickenpox. After a person recovers from chickenpox, the virus stays in the body. Usually the virus does not cause any problems; however, the virus can reappear years later, causing shingles. Herpes zoster is not caused by the same virus that causes genital herpes, a sexually transmitted disease.

3. Are there any long-term effects from shingles?

Very rarely, shingles can lead to pneumonia, hearing problems, blindness, brain inflammation (encephalitis) or death.

5. Who gets shingles?

Anyone who has recovered from chickenpox may develop shingles, including children.

7. Can shingles be spread to others?

Shingles cannot be passed from one person to another. However, the virus that causes shingles, VZV, can be spread from a person with active shingles to a person who has never had chickenpox through direct contact with the rash. The person exposed would develop chickenpox, not shingles. The virus is not spread through sneezing, coughing or casual contact. A person with shingles can spread the disease when the rash is in the blister-phase. Once the rash has developed crusts, the person is no longer contagious. A person is not infectious before blisters appear or with post-herpetic neuralgia (pain after the rash is gone).