The virus varicella zoster virus not only causes chickenpox, but it can also cause shingles. However shingles does occur in the same way as chickenpox as it cannot spread through the air from affected people to others. It is only those who have had chickenpox who can develop shingles when the dormant chicken pox virus found in the nervous system is reactivated.
It is not known how the virus becomes active again; however, it has been linked to sick people with a weakened immune system, those who have had major surgery and those taking immuno-suppressant medications and cortisone drugs.
There are many reasons for the weakening of the body immune system. This includes aging, use of steroids, diseases like HIV and colds, use of steroids, some medication like chemotherapy and radiation therapy, too much of alcohol and excess stress.
People suffering from shingles should however avoid close contact with others as its blisters have live varicella zoster virus, which can be passed to others through skin to skin contact. So people who have not had chickenpox or who have not received the chickenpox vaccine can develop chickenpox when exposed to this virus.
So it can be said that shingles is basically not a new infection to the sufferer. Instead, it is a second outbreak of the chicken pox virus where some inactive chicken pox virus that remained inactive in nerve cells for many years suddenly wakes up and starts growing. These germs travel along nerves to the skin, while leaving a path of destruction on the nerves they travel. This destruction is the pain and rashes associated with shingles.
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