Question 1

is herpes zoster contagious airborne?

Accepted Answer

Zoster no, c&#x27;pox yes: People with their first infection with varicella zoster virus (VZV) (mostly kids w/ chickenpox) are infectious by respiratory secretions -- e.g. coughing on someone who previously never had chickenpox and wasn&#x27;t vaccinated against VZV. However, herpes zoster (shingles) dosn&#x27;t have virus in the respiratory tract and is rarely transmissible except by direct contact with the skin rash.

Question 2

is shingles contagious?

Accepted Answer

Yes: Its a reactivation of the chicken pox virus. Until all the vesicles have crusted over, you can give it to anyone who hasn't had chicken pox or the vaccine. Avoid exposure to young kids, pegnant, elderly, frail, or folks with lowered immune systems.

Question 3

r shingles contagious ?

Accepted Answer

Yes, circumstantial: 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.

Question 4

how contagious is shingles?

Accepted Answer

Very, sort of.: When a person has chicken pox they never completely get rid of the virus.  It hides in nerve cells.  As immunity falls over time the virus can reactivate, travel to the skin and causes shingles.  If you have never had, or been vaccinated for, chicken pox you could catch chicken pox from someone with shingles.  Shingles exposure is also dangerous for pregnant women and the immune suppressed.

Question 5

is it true that shingles contagious?

Accepted Answer

Yes: They are contagious in the vesicle stage.  Avoid contact with other people at this time. Do not pick them, let them heal and seek help at the earliest sign.

Question 6

how long is shingles contagious for?

Accepted Answer

1—2 weeks: It is contagious until scabs are totally dry, but requires direct contact

Question 7

are shingles contagious at all times?

Accepted Answer

Yes: But not by droplets the way chicken pox  is tramsmitted.  If you touch th fluid from one of the shingles then get it in a cut or eye, mouth. Or nose and you have never had chicken pox then you could catch actual chicken pox.

Question 8

when does shingles become contagious?

Accepted Answer

When skin is broken: Shingles skin lesions have contagious viruses from the time the skin lesions begin to break (feel damp or sticky) until after the skin is healing, covered with dry scabs or dry skin. If there is any moisture coming through the shingles rash, then one can safely presume there are still viruses there.

Question 9

are shingles contagious. i have small children.

Accepted Answer

Possibly: Hopefully your children have already been vaccinated against chicken pox, which will help protect them.  The lesions can potentially be contagious to those with no immunity to chicken pox (ie young children not yet immunized), so it would be best to avoid any direct contact until your lesions are gone/dried up.

Question 10

my brother has shingles, when is he most contagious?

Accepted Answer

See below: Shingles is contagious to people who have not previously had chickenpox, as long as there are new blisters forming and old blisters healing. Similar to chickenpox, the time prior to healing or crusting of the blisters is the contagious stage of shingles. Once all of the blisters are crusted over, the virus can no longer be spread and the contagious period is over.

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