Is The Shingles Infection Contagious?

Posted on Sat, 19 Nov 2016

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

Sat, 19 Nov 2016 Answered on

Fri, 9 Dec 2016 Last reviewed on

Question : A follow up question, if you please. I have read that "shingles" is contagious. How is it spread to another person?
PS - I never really developed much of a rash. Just a very mild few dots.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Erion Spaho (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Spreading only with direct contact with the blisters.

Detailed Answer:
Welcome back.

The virus that causes shingles is only when the disease is on the blisters phase (fluid filled lesions) and direct contact with the fluid is necessary for this virus to spread.

Outside the frame time of this phase a person with shingles is not contagious.

So, in your case, if the dots are fluid filled, you may be at the contagious phase.

Hope this helps.

Kind regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Arnab Banerjee