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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Can Be Done To Prevent Shingles Virus?

Hi, The shingles virus has shown up in a person attending our senior citizens center. Some of the people are very upset that this person is allowed to continue to come to this meal site. A person who sits next to the one with shingles has come down with shingles. She is 89 years old . The person with shingles probably 75 or so. She is in pain but not breaking out very much from this Dr. diagnosd issue. What are we to believe. My husband is 92 and is in fragile health, but likes to get out to be with people. A connundrum!!! Please answer.
Tue, 28 Oct 2014
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Internal Medicine Specialist,  's  Response
Shingles is not transmitted from other people with shingles. It is caused by the chickenpox virus which goes dormant in the body for many years or decades. Later in life it reappears as shingles. Only a person who has had chickenpox at one time can get shingles. Now people who have NOT had chickenpox CAN get chickenpox from someone with shingles. This would be unusual for a senior citizen; most people are immune to chickenpox by that age. It was just a coincidence that the person sitting next to the infected person also got it. Shingles is just more common in older people. There is a vaccine for people over age 60 to prevent shingles from coming out on their bodies from the dormant virus, so you might consider getting this. Hope this helps.
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What Can Be Done To Prevent Shingles Virus?

Shingles is not transmitted from other people with shingles. It is caused by the chickenpox virus which goes dormant in the body for many years or decades. Later in life it reappears as shingles. Only a person who has had chickenpox at one time can get shingles. Now people who have NOT had chickenpox CAN get chickenpox from someone with shingles. This would be unusual for a senior citizen; most people are immune to chickenpox by that age. It was just a coincidence that the person sitting next to the infected person also got it. Shingles is just more common in older people. There is a vaccine for people over age 60 to prevent shingles from coming out on their bodies from the dormant virus, so you might consider getting this. Hope this helps.