Shingles

[Eastender]

Hi I work in a care home, and have just found out that our manager has been of with shingles. Firstly I would like to know if shingles is catching? and I would also like some feed back, as to whether all staff should have been informed of the outbreak, as it was kept very hush hush and only a few members of staff were aware of it. Thanks

[boxtops]

Do you work in infection control, tumshie? that seems a bit extreme. I had a colleague with shingles, we didn't have to walk about wearing protective clothing once she was no longer contagious.

[karenmac60]

Mike, you cannot catch shingles. It is the same virus as the chickenpox virus so it is possible to catch chickenpox from someone who has shingles, but only if you have never had chickenpox before. The virus remains in the system after a chickenpox infection and can later re-emerge as shingles during times of stress, poor health etc. Therefore you can have chickenpox and shingles, but you cannot have chickenpox more than once. You have only copied part of Alex's quote, which takes it out of context - what she said was
As I understand it, you can catch chickenpox from a person who has shingles, but not shingles......that is assuming that you have not had chicken pox before. If you have had chickenpox , you are at no risk.
You can catch chickenpox from a person who has shingles....if you have had chickenpox you are at no risk. Does that make it clearer?

[karenmac60]

I think the 'avoid eye contact' bit gives it away as a wind up boxy :)

[shaneystar2]

I had chickenpox as a child and I've had shingles ..twice !
You can catch chickenpox from someone with shingles, if you've never chickenpox and therefore aren't immune. But you can't catch shingles from someone with shingles (or someone with chickenpox).
But as for closing down premises ,that's a bit extreme .We're not talking about the plague here .

[bednobs]

as i read alexes answer she say if you have had chicken pox you are at no risk (of catching chicken pox from someone who has shingles)

[bednobs]

personally i think the "avoid eye contact" advice should be for everyone at all times. 98% of people are bonkers, so it makes sense

[mike11111]

Not in the slightest clearer. i was taught that if you had chicken pox as a child you were immune to shingles in later life. That is clearly b0ll0cks as my own experience testifies. That is my only point, that just because you have chicken pox as a kid, don't think you are immune to shingles in later life.

[karenmac60]

You have a point Bednobs ;)

[anneasquith]

tumshie, you forgot "coughs and sneezes spread diseases "

[boxtops]

;-) this is like reading a Chinese instruction manual - I know it makes sense in there somewhere.

[bednobs]

who?

[bednobs]

alex was saying if you have had chicken pox previously, you can't catch chicken pox from someone with shingles.

[jno]

does that mean you're allowed to say 'The kids are alright' when the all-clear is given. Tumsie?

[anneasquith]

i saw them "live at leeds"

[ladyalex]

I'm sorry that I do not seem to be able to make myself clear to you, Mike 11111.
If you have had chickenpox you are at no risk of catching chickenpox again.
You cannot 'catch' shingles.
If you have had chickenpox there is the chance of your developing shingles at any time later on in your life.
Contact with a person who has shingles does not put you at risk of contracting shingles it puts you at risk of contracting chickenpox.
Contracting shingles is dependant on the state of your own internal immune system, not on contact with anyone else.

Have you read either of society's links ? I'm sure they explain it clearly as I obviously cannot.

[boxtops]

I think that's wrong bednobs, I don't think you have immunity if you have already had chickenpox, it lurks, shingles can pop up at any time IMO

[pastafreak]

World Health Organisation............