# Is it possible to catch chicken pox more than once **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 17, 2002, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-catch-chicken-pox-more-than-once/132638 "2002-10-17T10:15:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-catch-chicken-pox-more-than-once/132638/1 "2002-10-17T10:15:36Z")
I was reading the thread about chicken pox/shingles; both of my children seemed to catch chicken pox twice; I’ve suffered from shingles (although not terribly badly) on a number of occasions, so I’m quite familiar with the appearance of the blisters. It seems to be widely accepted that you catch it once and acquire lasting immunity that way, but as I said, both my kids had (what appeared to be) the disease twice (at about ages 18 and 24 months for both of them) ---
**Author:** ![IcicleFuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ba8739/32.png) [@IcicleFuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IcicleFuzz)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-catch-chicken-pox-more-than-once/132638/2 "2002-10-17T10:21:20Z")
IANADoctor, but I have heard that if you catch a mild case of chicken pox you are still able to be infected again. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-catch-chicken-pox-more-than-once/132638/3 "2002-10-17T10:26:44Z")
Are there different strains of the disease, (where immunity to one does not confer immunity to another)? ---
**Author:** ![woolly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ebca7d/32.png) [@woolly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woolly)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-catch-chicken-pox-more-than-once/132638/4 "2002-10-17T12:14:28Z")
From bitter personal experience, you can get chicken pox twice. I’ve never had shingles. I had a standard level infection of CP at about 6yo. Then in my early 30s I went on a business trip O/S for a couple of weeks. It was bitterly cold and miserable and I came back very run down. At the time there was a virulent strain going through the Sydney schools and I came down with it again. I got lots of sympathy (not) i.e. both my GP and Mum could barely keep from laughing. You have a fair bit more surface area when you get olders. It wasn’t pleasant: ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-catch-chicken-pox-more-than-once/132638/5 "2002-10-17T15:13:05Z")
I have had CP three times. I did get my teeters checked when I was first pregnant and they seem okay now, but I am still a little paranoid. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-catch-chicken-pox-more-than-once/132638/6 "2002-10-17T16:13:18Z")
I had it twice. First time was a bummer, then my twin brother caught it almost three weeks later, and I got it again. I still have fond memories of hanging out at home for a week with my brother, we had a blast. The doctor said my first case probably just went into remission. ---
**Author:** ![Calliope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Calliope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calliope)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-catch-chicken-pox-more-than-once/132638/7 "2002-10-17T16:24:32Z")
I know a woman who has had it 4 times. None of her cases were mild, either. her son just had his second bout, so maybe the tendency to get it repeatedly is hereditary? ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-catch-chicken-pox-more-than-once/132638/8 "2002-10-17T22:01:14Z")
My brother had it twice. I’ve never had it, and recently got the vaccination. I’m convinced he got it for me. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![sorrel554](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@sorrel554](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sorrel554)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-catch-chicken-pox-more-than-once/132638/9 "2002-10-17T23:07:41Z")
I think I had it twice. The first time was a mild case and the pox only appeared on my face. Then I had a severe case a year or more later when my brothers also had it. ---
**Author:** ![Savaka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/858c86/32.png) [@Savaka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savaka)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-catch-chicken-pox-more-than-once/132638/10 "2002-10-18T00:42:53Z")
I have also had it three times. Each time was a little less severe. The last time was over ten years ago. Now I’m going to go find some wood to knock on. ---
**Author:** ![femtosecond](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f08c70/32.png) [@femtosecond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/femtosecond)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-catch-chicken-pox-more-than-once/132638/11 "2002-10-18T15:01:40Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Mangetout_ > **I was reading the thread about chicken pox/shingles;** Oh no! Now even the _threads_ are contagious! :runs away screaming: 🙂 Normally, you’re immune against a second infection because your body learned how to keep the virus down, even if it never really leaves you. This can’t be expected to work all the time though, and you get shingles if it spreads out again from your insides. It wouldn’t surprise me if there’s also some way for another virus to get in from the outside. After a vaccination you can get a “modified varicella-like syndrome”, or “breakthrough infection” if it occurs later, with usually mild symptoms. > [@](#): > > **Are there different strains of the disease, (where immunity to one does not confer immunity to another)?** According to this I’d guess no: [http://www.brown.edu/Courses/Bio\_160/Projects2000/Herpes/VZV-Pages/VZVPathogen.html](http://www.brown.edu/Courses/Bio_160/Projects2000/Herpes/VZV-Pages/VZVPathogen.html) > [@](#): > > Different strains of VZV do show some genomic differences. VZV does not, however, show a high rate of mutation or antigenic shift. The genomic differences do not cause much change in the antigens recognized by the immune system. (Arvin and Moffat et al., 1996)