Chicken Pox And Shingles

[granny grump]

We have been invited to the 5th birthday party of one of our great grandchildren. Bye has chicken pox and the spots have appeared. We have been told that we may be at risk of shingles even if we have had chickenpox ourselves. Granddad g says that he has had it but I can''t remember. Is there a significant risk? Any guidance would be appreciated gg :-)

[2sp_]

I thought that by the time the spots had appeared, the sufferer was no longer infectious?

[2sp_]

Try having a look here -

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Chickenpox/Pages/Introduction.aspx

[granny grump]

Thank you 2sp the link was very useful. Apparently you can catch chicken pox from someone with shingles but can't catch shingles from someone with chickenpox Most reassuring We can go and enjoy the barbecue on Sunday

[Sqad]

granny.........you can't catch shingles.

[2sp_]

I hope you have a lovely time, granny!

[Peter Pedant]

Yeah right GG

shingles can give a susceptible person chickenpox
but you only get shingles from yourself in reactivation

This was worked out in the fifties - by my father's elder partner
Edgar Hope Simpson when he was a GP in cirencester
( and ironically outlived his junior partner my father by thirty y )
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC261759/

[granny grump]

Thank you squad for more reassurance the issue came up during a girlie chat at work and you know how these things escalate. Thank you for you kind words 2sp and for sharing your family history Peter the link was very interesting Will have a lovely day but will give the black and red chicken a miss :-)

[granny grump]

We had an absolutely fabulous time today thank you all for your reassurances - I wouldn't have missed it for the world