Shingles and chicken pox (need answer fast)

[Fiendish_Astronaut]

My little niece has contracted chicken pox and her and her family face a Christmas on their own because my Mum is scared she and her partner might get shingles if they have them over. Both have had chicken pox before and I know that the virus can turn into shingles for people at their age (over 60). But does contact with my niece increase those chances? If not I’d quite like to show my Mum evidence that they are not at risk and save my brother’s family’s Christmas!

[Fish_Cheer]

@Fiendish_Astronaut

My little niece has contracted chicken pox and her and her family face a Christmas on their own because my Mum is scared she and her partner might get shingles if they have them over. Both have had chicken pox before and I know that the virus can turn into shingles for people at their age (over 60). But does contact with my niece increase those chances? If not I’d quite like to show my Mum evidence that they are not at risk and save my brother’s family’s Christmas!

I am not a (human) doctor, and this is not medical advice.

Shingles is caused by a reactivation of varicella zoster virus that is already present in the body. If anything, exposure to virus from the outside will decrease the likelihood of developing shingles.

[Fiendish_Astronaut]

Thanks for the speedy reply, been trying to find an answer online. I think my Mum will need a cite that she will easily understand, and obviously I don’t want to mislead anyone so not going to argue with her. I’m just not convinced she’s right about this. Seems to me that having already had chicken pox exposure to the virus again is unlikely to give her or her boyfriend shingles. And that article (I think) seems to back that up. I don’t think sending her that link will do the job though.

[Ferret_Herder]

Try this one from the Mayo Clinic?

(Edit: And tell them to go to their local pharmacy or doctor and get a shingles vaccine, since that’s recommended for people 60+. It’ll rile up the immune system against shingles so it can hopefully kick ass, should that varicella creep out of hiding and try to cause problems.)

[Fish_Cheer]

@Fiendish_Astronaut

Seems to me that having already had chicken pox exposure to the virus again is unlikely to give her or her boyfriend shingles. And that article (I think) seems to back that up.

Exactly.

I don’t think sending her that link will do the job though.

I understand. How about this one then, for example?

[Fiendish_Astronaut]

Genius! Thank you!

[WhyNot]

The question’s been answered, but since that never stopped me from putting my 2 cents in:

No, being exposed to a child with chicken pox will NOT cause a shingles outbreak. In fact, it’s believed that one of the reasons we see so much more shingles than we used to is because we’re vaccinating our kids for chicken pox. Without the little germ factories running around like living booster shots for the adults, our own internal varicella viruses are overwhelming our immune systems.

If anything, your mum and her partner should invite a bunch of their friends over to party with your niece too, so they’re all *less *likely to get a shingles outbreak in the next few years! Or, y’know, they could go get their shingles vaccine at the pharmacy.

[aceplace57]

i got shingles early. I was 47 and it attacked my left forehead and scalp. Got into my left eye and would have permanently blinded me. I got to an ophthalmologist in time. I was on prednisone drops for six years. They tried several times to wean my off. Within 4 to 6 months the vision went blurry and I had to resume it. I’m already growing a cataract in that eye and the doctor says I’ll need surgery before I’m even 60.

Why did I get shingles? Who knows. Maybe stress at work?

I wouldn’t deliberately expose anyone to chicken pox. Why risk it?

What causes shingles?
Shingles occurs when the virus that causes chickenpox starts up again in your body. After you get better from chickenpox, the virus “sleeps” (is dormant) in your nerve roots.

You can’t catch shingles from someone else who has shingles. But there is a small chance that a person with a shingles rash can spread the virus to another person who hasn’t had chickenpox and who hasn’t gotten the chickenpox vaccine.

http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/shingles/shingles-topic-overview

[Pai325]

I had chicken pox as a child, and then got shingles at24 (before all the nice anti-viral meds they have now.) I ended up in the hospital and suffered from pain after the blisters were gone for more than a year. I’m over 60 now but can’t take the vaccine. I wouldn’t wish shingles on anyone, and I w opulent go near anyone with chicken pox. Not scientific, but that’s my take on it.

[MsWhatsit]

@WhyNot

If anything, your mum and her partner should invite a bunch of their friends over to party with your niece too, so they’re all *less *likely to get a shingles outbreak in the next few years!

No.

Or, y’know, they could go get their shingles vaccine at the pharmacy.

Yes.

[Pai325]

@Pai325

I had chicken pox as a child, and then got shingles at24 (before all the nice anti-viral meds they have now.) I ended up in the hospital and suffered from pain after the blisters were gone for more than a year. I’m over 60 now but can’t take the vaccine. I wouldn’t wish shingles on anyone, and I w opulent go near anyone with chicken pox. Not scientific, but that’s my take on it.

As nice as my iPad is, the auto correcting it does when I fail to notice a mistake can be annoying.

I meant, I wouldn’t go near anyone with chicken pox.

[Fish_Cheer]

@aceplace57

I wouldn’t deliberately expose anyone to chicken pox. Why risk it?

There is no risk for somebody who already had chickenpox.

The “small chance” in the article you quoted refers to the risk of somebody catching chickenpox from a person with shingles. It just doesn’t work the other way round.

@WebMD

You can’t catch shingles from someone else who has shingles. But there is a small chance that a person with a shingles rash can spread the virus to another person who hasn’t had chickenpox and who hasn’t gotten the chickenpox vaccine.

[Fiendish_Astronaut]

I didn’t get her to change her mind in the end, but I didn’t want to push it too hard because that’s her decision. And she has a few friends over later in the day so I guess its understandable my Mum would want to make sure everyone is safe and healthy. No doubt an extra big portion of love and gifts will be provided for my little niece at New Years who doesn’t know what all the fuss is about now!

Thanks for all the replies - interesting to read about it. And a merry Christmas to you all.