Shingles is an infectious disease, the development of which is associated with the activation of the herpes simplex virus type 3, which has been latent for a long time in the nerve cells of the body after the chicken pox. The latter, in turn, is due to the primary penetration of this virus into the body (often chickenpox is sick in childhood). Activation of the virus occurs as a result of the action of certain factors, the main of which can be attributed:
- decreased immunity;
- serious infectious diseases;
- injuries;
- blood diseases;
- hormonal failures;
- stress;
- organ transplantation;
- hypothermia ;
- reception of strong medicines, etc.
The disease under consideration is by no means a rarity in our time, and if earlier it was more likely to affect people of the older generation, today many young people are diagnosed. In connection with the fact that anyone can get sick, the questions are topical: is the zoster infected or not in the adult for others, is it worth it to isolate patients with such a diagnosis, and to avoid contacts with patients healthy?
Shingles infectiousness
A feature of the herpes simplex virus type 3, which causes chicken pox and shingles, is that after it first entered the human body and provoked chickenpox, an immunity to a new infection is developed, but the virus is not removed from the body. Therefore, people with weak immunity can repeatedly suffer from shingles when favorable conditions for virus activation are created. Given that the majority of the population is already infected with the herpes simplex virus type 3, all have a potential risk of shingles, but, we emphasize, not due to repeated infection, but due to the "awakening" of an already existing pathogen in the body.
As for people who did not have chickenpox as a child and were not vaccinated against this infection, they should beware of infection. And, having encountered this virus for the first time, such people will not become infected with shingles, but with chickenpox . It should be noted that in adulthood this disease, considered childish, is carried over by the body much more difficultly, and during pregnancy is a danger to the fetus and can even serve as an excuse for interrupting the bearing of the child.
However, there are rare exceptions. For example, even after the transferred varicella with the expressed clinical picture at the person the stable immunity can not develop, therefore at weakening of immune protection it is quite real to catch repeatedly. Also, the possibility of re-infection with this virus is not excluded due to its permanent mutations. Patients with herpes zoster must be isolated from children under the age of one month.
How is transmitted and how long is the herpes zoster infected?
To get infected from a person suffering from shingles, people without stable immunity to the causative agent of the disease can be in the period of active rashes on the body, until the period when all the bubbles will be covered with dry crusts. Typically, this period begins with the appearance of the first rash and ends about 8-10 days.
The transmission path is the contact path, i.e. with direct contact with areas where there are eruptions, as well as touching objects and areas of the body that have recently come into contact with the affected area. The focus of infection is the fluid contained in the cutaneous vesicles. In very rare cases, shingles are transmitted by airborne droplets.