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Doctor insights on:
Chickenpox Reactivation
1
Lifespan of varicella zoster virus?
Lifetime: As long as you live, the virus stays with you mostly in dormant stage and occasionally flares up. ...Read more
Chickenpox (Definition)
Caused by the varicella-zoster virus, chicken pox results in a blister rash that starts on the stomach, back, and face and spreads throughout the entire body. These small itchy blisters eventually scab over. Associated symptoms include itching, fatigue, malaise, and a fever. The most effective method to prevent spreading of the varicella virus is ...Read more
2
Does the chicken pox vaccine confer lifelong immunity?
Possibly: Introduced in the late 70's in japan, the current CP vaccine was not adopted in the us until the 90's. There are good data that one dose removes the risk of death with cp, but likely only 85% get protective immunity from 1 dose, with that improving to >95% after 2 doses given at least a month apart. Time will tell if future boosters are needed but with 30+ years of worldwide data it looks good. ...Read more
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4
Is herpes zoster contagious airborne?
Zoster no, c'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 were not vaccinated against VZV. However, herpes zoster (shingles) dosn't have virus in the respiratory tract -- rarely transmissible except by direct contact with the skin rash. ...Read more
5
Is atypical chicken pox contagious?
Yes: Chickenpox is highly infectious. Spread throughout households is very common with infection of up to 90% of vulnerable individuals who come into contact. Most infection occurs in those under 5 years of age and immunity increases with age until adulthood. http://patient.info/doctor/chickenpox-pro ...Read more
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6
Does chickenpox vaccine protect from shingles?
Maybe,maybe not: The vaccine developed to help suppress shingles has many times the amount of varicella material than the chickenpox vaccine. Simple varicella vaccine use may res-erect some of your waning varicella antibodies and put off shingles but it may just protect you better against wild chickenpox. ...Read more
7
Antibodies for varicella zoster IgG positive, and varicella IgM negative, means immunity for shingles or just for chicken pox?
Both: Varicella and zoster are the same virus. Chickenpox occurs with the first exposure to the virus and zoster is the re-activation of the virus that has been lying dormant in the body as a result of some significant stress to the body. ...Read more
8
Immunity to rubella means immune to chickenpox?
No: These are two different germs and immunity to one does not mean immunity to the other. ...Read more
9
Might exposure to chicken pox cause a shingles outbreak?
They are buddies: Varicella-zoster are the responsible parties in chicken pox and shingles. If you have ever had chicken pox or the vaccine there is the possibility of shingles in your lifetime. While chicken pox does not cause shingles it has a clear role in its development. Other precipitating factors will bring out a shingles outbreak such as a viral illness, fatigue, and stress. ...Read more
10
Can chicken pox from the vaccine (against chicken pox)?
Yes and no: A small percentage of vaccine recipients can and do break out a week or more after varicella vaccination.This is not the wild chickenpox but a manifestation of the weakened vaccine virus. Most have fewer than a dozen lesions, compared with an average 200-250 with wild chickenpox. Such an event does provide longlasting protection from the wild chickenpox. ...Read more
12
Is shingles contagious?
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. ...Read more
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13
Does varicella (chicken pox) vaccine actually cause a mild form of chicken pox?
Yes 1% can get mild: 1% of patients can get a mild form of chicken pox after few days because it is live vaccine. ...Read more
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14
Can the shingles vaccination prevent shingles?
Yes: The shingles vaccine, zostavax, is available to adults in a particular age group. Zostavax helps prevent shingles, but is not completely protective. Some people can still get shingles even though they were vaccinated. Zostavax costs about $250 if not covered by insurance. ...Read more
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15
Can children get chicken pox from shingles?
Yes.: Shingles lesions contain active chicken pox virus, so a child can catch chicken pox if they have direct physical contact with the rash. It does not transmit through the air. If a child has had both recommended doses of chicken pox vaccine, generally given at age 1 and 4, they're likely to be immune. ...Read more
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16
Can a vaccinated person catch chicken pox from somebody's shingles?
Unlikely an issue: A properly vaccinated kid would have about a 5 % risk of ever getting varicella.Ophthalmic shingles is only contagious through the debris from the lesions, not though droplets like regular chickenpox. If the vaccinated child did not have direct contact with the lesions or debris there would be no risk of infection. ...Read more
17
Can chicken pox from the vaccine?
Vaccine rash: There are a small percentage of people that will break out in an atypical rash a week or two after receiving the weakened varicella virus injection. This is not true wild chickenpox but a "chickenpox lite" since the weakened virus does not have the same potency.The blisters of wild cpx often average about 200 while with the vaccine rash often has less than 15.Protection from future cpx is assured. ...Read more
18
Are shingles contagous?
Shingles: Shingles (herpes zoster) results as a reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus in patients previously afflicted with chickenpox. It is only contagious to individuals not previously vaccinated against chickenpox or who have an immune deficiency in whom it manifests as chickenpox and not shingles. It is preventable through vaccination. Ask your doctor how you can access the vaccine. Good luck! ...Read more
19
Is herpes encephalitis contagious?
Typically not: Herpes encephalitis is a rare condition- I do not know it to be contagious- it is very serious and needs to be treated aggressively. ...Read more
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20
Could chicken pox scar developing teeth?
I am not sure: What the reference is to developing teeth but chicken pox lesions can become scarred. ...Read more
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