It is not possible to cure shingles or remove the virus from the body. However, antiviral medications can help manage symptoms, shorten the duration of the illness, and reduce the risk of complications. C alamine lotion is available for purchase online. One way of preventing shingles is to avoid contact with people who have the disease while their blisters are active. If a person has chicken pox, they usually only have it once. The same is true for shingles. A person who has had it before is unlikely to have it again.
Teens and adults aged 13 years or older who have never had chicken pox or the vaccine, but who would like to, should receive two doses of the varicella vaccination at least 28 days apart.
Some people should not have the chicken pox vaccine. They include pregnant women and people who currently have a moderate or severe illness. Vaccination against shingles is available for adults who are 50 or older and who have had chicken pox or are not sure whether they have had it. The shingles vaccine is available to people who meet these criteria, regardless of whether they have already had shingles.
The options available are:. Some people should not have the vaccine. They include pregnant or breastfeeding women and people who currently have active shingles.
Anyone who is unsure whether they should receive the shingles vaccine can consult a healthcare provider. Is it a good idea to vaccinate? Find out here. However, a person can transmit the virus through the fluid within shingles blisters. A person who has never had chicken pox may develop it, and later shingles, after coming into contact with this fluid.
This transmission is not possible before the shingles blisters develop or after they dry up and scab. Anyone who has had chicken pox can develop shingles. They cannot catch shingles from another person, but certain risk factors may cause the dormant virus to reactivate.
People with weakened immune systems have a higher chance of developing shingles and related complications. They also have a higher risk of developing shingles more than once. Receiving the varicella vaccination during childhood is the best way to reduce the risk of developing chicken pox and shingles.
Older people who have already had chicken pox should consider having herpes zoster vaccination from the age of 50 years. But people who have not had chickenpox before could catch chickenpox from you. Stay off work or school if the rash is still oozing fluid weeping and cannot be covered, or until the rash has dried out. You can only spread the infection to other people while the rash oozes fluid. If you're pregnant and get shingles, there's no danger to your pregnancy or baby.
But you should be referred to a specialist, as you may need antiviral treatment. But you can get chickenpox from someone with shingles if you have not had chickenpox before.
When people get chickenpox, the virus remains in the body. It can be reactivated later and cause shingles if someone's immune system is lowered. These small particle aerosols may be breathed in by another person.
Chickenpox is also spread by contact with or breathing in blister fluid. Reactivation of this virus causes shingles herpes zoster rather than a second attack of chickenpox. Direct contact with the blister fluid in shingles can cause chickenpox in a non-immune person. There is no spread through the air from people with shingles, except perhaps in some very severe cases of disseminated widespread shingles. Contact with chickenpox or shingles cannot lead to shingles in the exposed person since shingles can only follow the reactivation of a previous chickenpox infection.
Symptoms of chickenpox may include:. Chickenpox and shingles have a typical appearance and are usually diagnosed by clinical presentation.
This can be confirmed by a swab test of the rash detecting the varicella-zoster virus. A blood test can detect if someone has protection from chickenpox infection in the past, but the test may not be helpful in determining if there is adequate immunity to varicella-zoster virus following vaccination.
For chickenpox, 10 to 21 days, commonly 14 to 16 days, but may vary in people whose immune system is suppressed. For chickenpox, from 2 days before the rash appears until at least 5 days after the rash first appears and all blisters have crusted over. For shingles, a person is infectious from when the rash appears until all blisters have dried up. Specific antiviral treatment for both chickenpox and shingles is available. Treatment is usually only given to those with severe disease or at risk of severe disease.
To be effective, treatment must be commenced early, usually within 24 hours of onset of the rash. For all cases, calamine lotion or promethazine [Phenergan] available from pharmacies may be useful for the itch. If treatment to reduce temperature or discomfort is necessary, paracetamol is recommended. Aspirin should not be given to children or adolescents who have chickenpox or shingles.
These infections or diseases are commonly referred to as 'notifiable conditions'. Image - Chickenpox varicella lesions. How infectious diseases are spread and simple and practical advice for preventing the spread of infection in the home and community.
Notifiable condition - what you need to know if you have a notifiable condition or disease, or are suspected of having a notifiable condition. A list of vaccines currently available through the National Immunisation Program and state funded immunisation programs. The risk of spreading VZV to others is low if you cover the shingles rash. People with shingles cannot spread the virus before their rash blisters appear or after the rash crusts. Also see Treating Shingles.
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