Shingles.

[cupid04]

Can someone tell me about shingles. How contagious is it and what is the
incubation period?

[Sqad]

Incubation period..........2-3 weeks.

If you have had chicken pox as a child........then fotget catching shingles.......you can't.

if you haven't had chickenpox then you can catch shingles by direct contact of the blister fluid.

[sandyRoe]

I suppose it's an old wives tale that if the rash encircles your body you're a gonner?

[Sqad]

sandy.......LOL.....I like old wives tales.......well to be honest, I just like "old wives."

[Euphemia]

There's hope for me yet then, Sqad

[cupid04]

Thankyou for that, I've heard all the old wives tales [I am an old wife, lol!]
The reason I asked was because mr. cupid and I are due to go out for a
family meal at the weekend and our niece has had shingles in the last fortnight. Mr. cupid and I have been run down recently with other various
health problems and didn't want to risk it if our immune systems are low.

[tamirra]

Sqad why do they say this then......
http://bestpractice.b...ary-1197024888508.pdf

[coccinelle]

My sister had chickenpox as a kid and got shingles as an adult.
However, I have heard you can only get shingles when being in contact with someone with chicken pox.

[rowanwitch]

once you have the infection it can happen at any time usually when your immune system is compromised stress will do it too

[tamirra]

Sqad???

[ubasses]

Was explained by my Dr when having shingles a couple of years after chickenpox as an adult. I didn't catch shingles from anyone, after the chickenpox the virus lays dormant in the system, hopefully for ever, but if you get run down or unwell this can 'wake the virus up' and it will present itself as shingles.

[ladybirder]

I had chicken pox as a child (twice) and I had shingles 3 years ago. Squad?

[Sqad]

tamirra.......the question was about "catching" shingles from someone else, NOT how do you get shingles........2 different things.

Yes, if you have had chickenpox as a child the virus can be "brought to light" so to speak.

The questioner wanted to know if she/he could catch it from someone who had shingles.....and that what I answered.

Sorry that you had to remind me about answering, but I do have other things to do other than sit at the P.C.

[Sqad]

ladybird....see my answer above to tamirra........we are all getting mixed up here with catching it from someone else and the shingles developing without contact with someone else.

[slaney]

Good and clear article tamirra, and correct - shingles is reactivation of previous chickenpox infection, often after many decades, so you can't actually catch it from anyone.
I think Sqad meant to say in his last sentence -- if you haven't had chickenpox then you can catch it (chickenpox) from the blister fluid (of shingles).

[Sqad]

slaney..........exactly.

[ladybirder]

Ah, I see. thank you. Over and out.

[tamirra]

Thank you slaney.