Does Singles Spread Through Air?

Posted on Mon, 9 Mar 2015

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Mon, 9 Mar 2015 Answered on

Mon, 30 Mar 2015 Last reviewed on

Question : my daughter works at bank and another employee says they think they have shingles .my daughter has a 6 month old and a nephew that is two who hasnt been vacinnated.Also another employ has a infant with low immune system

Answered by Dr. Noble Zachariah (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Doesn't spread through air but by contact

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Welcome and thanks for your query.
Shingles is Herpes Zoster which occurs in a person who had chicken pox.
It doesn't spread through the air but by contact with the fluid from the lesions.
So if your daughter and other colleagues are careful to avoid contact with the lesions or the fomites then there is little risk of infection.
Take care

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar