Can Shingles Be Transmitted to Others?

Can Shingles Be Transmitted to Others?

Shingles sure can leave you scratching your head, especially when you're young and thought that rash was just a random outbreak. But then comes the diagnosis, and you're left wondering if you should shut down your life or keep it rolling. The answer, surprisingly, isn't as straightforward as you'd think.

"Shingles is an unusual infection," Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist and professor at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, mentioned to our site. Although medical professionals generally advise that the infection is contagious, you can't actually pass shingles along to someone else, he clarifies. Feeling confused yet? Let's untangle it.

First, let's cover the basics of shingles.

Shingles is the result of the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus responsible for causing chickenpox. If you've had chickenpox in the past, you can develop shingles later in life, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The virus doesn't completely disappear from your body after recovering from chickenpox; instead, it lies dormant in your nerve cells, occasionally reawakening to cause shingles when your immune system weakens due to factors such as illness or stress.

A shingles outbreak can bring on a variety of unpleasant symptoms, such as burning or shooting pain and a rash that usually surfaces on one side of the body or face. During a shingles infection, one might also experience a fever, headaches, chills, or an upset stomach, and potentially develop complications like postherpetic neuralgia (ongoing pain in the areas where the rash appeared), vision loss, hearing or balance issues, pneumonia, brain inflammation, or even death in rare cases.

Somewhat astonishingly, around one in three Americans will develop shingles throughout their lives, with most only experiencing it once, although it's possible to get it multiple times.

So, is shingles contagious or not?

Here's where things get a tad confusing. Technically, shingles isn't contagious. But the varicella-zoster virus can be transmitted to those who have no immunity to chickenpox. "People who have never had chickenpox can become infected with the virus if they've been exposed to an individual with shingles," Dr. Thomas Russo, MD, a professor and chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University at Buffalo's medical school, told our site.

So if you've been diagnosed with shingles, your healthcare provider will likely recommend covering your rash to minimize the risk of passing the virus to others. It's particularly crucial to keep a safe distance from vulnerable groups like pregnant individuals who haven't had chickenpox or been vaccinated, infants, and people with weakened immune systems until your rash has scabbed over, according to Dr. Alfred F. Tallia, MD, MPH, professor and chair of the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at the Rutgers University Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. (The CDC notes that the virus can't be transmitted before the blisters appear or after the rash has scabbed over.)

The varicella-zoster virus can spread via direct contact with the fluid from someone's shingles blisters or by inhaling virus particles released by the blisters[1][2].

What treatments are available for shingles?

If you're diagnosed with shingles, your healthcare provider might suggest taking antiviral medication, such as acyclovir, valacyclovir, or famciclovir, according to the CDC. These drugs can help mitigate the immune response if taken promptly[3].

For pain relief, OTC or prescription pain relievers, wet compresses, calamine lotion, and warm oatmeal baths can prove helpful. However, shingles can be quite uncomfortable, and finding relief for the pain may not be a perfect solution.

How can you prevent the transmission of shingles and future infections?

If you had chickenpox as a kid, you're at risk for developing shingles. Getting the Shingrix vaccine is the most effective way to protect yourself from a shingles infection (or a repeat infection if you've already had it) and any associated complications. In clinical trials, the vaccine was 97% effective in preventing shingles in adults aged 50 to 69 with healthy immune systems and 91% effective in adults aged 70 and older, according to CDC data.

Though the vaccine isn't specifically recommended for younger people (except for immunocompromised individuals), if you're worried about getting sick, talk to your doctor to find out if the shot might be suitable for you.

Regarding the contagiousness angle, it's best to keep your rash covered if you have shingles, and avoiding contact with others' rashes if you belong to a vulnerable group is essential. But if someone asks if shingles is truly contagious, now you know the answer: it's complicated.

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Related:

• I Developed Shingles During Pregnancy: A Lesson in Letting Go
• Understanding the Shingles Vaccine: 6 Essential Facts
• Alleviating the Agony of Shingles: Relief for an Itchy Rash

1. The varicella-zoster virus, which causes both chickenpox and shingles, doesn't completely disappear from the body after recovering from chickenpox; it lies dormant in nerve cells and can reactivate later in life to cause shingles.
2. Although shingles isn't contagious, the varicella-zoster virus can be transmitted to those who have no immunity to chickenpox if they've been exposed to an individual with shingles.
3. If you've been diagnosed with shingles, it's important to follow your healthcare provider's advice on covering your rash to minimize the risk of passing the virus to others, especially vulnerable groups like pregnant individuals, infants, and people with weakened immune systems.
4. In addition to antiviral medication and pain relief measures, getting the Shingrix vaccine is the most effective way to protect yourself from a shingles infection and associated complications.
5. Beyond shingles, maintaining a healthy and well-rounded lifestyle that includes self-care practices such as fitness-and-exercise, nutrition, skin-care, and neurological-disorders awareness can help support overall health and wellness.

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