Guest guest Posted March 20, 2011 Report Share Posted March 20, 2011 It is certainly possible for someone to have gotten the chicken pox, but had such a mild case, that they did not realize it. You can also get chicken pox as an adult if you were never exposed. Rick Furman question re shingles It's my understanding that you'd never get shingles if you never got chicken pox. So, I assume those of us who never had chicken pox are home free, cll or not? Ellen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 20, 2011 Report Share Posted March 20, 2011 I'm one of those people who never knew they had chicken pox as kid, but had shingles as an adult. So I assume it was a mild case as a child. > > It is certainly possible for someone to have gotten the chicken pox, but had such a mild case, that they did not realize it. You can also get chicken pox as an adult if you were never exposed. > > Rick Furman > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 21, 2011 Report Share Posted March 21, 2011 My understanding is that chickenpox, herpes, and shingles are all the same virus. One doesn't preclude the others. In fact, I am guessing that having had one makes you more susceptible to the others. Is that last statement correct? Kenette Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 21, 2011 Report Share Posted March 21, 2011 The family of viruses are herpes viruses, but within that family there are 8 different viruses: herpes simplex 1 (HSV 1): causes oral lesions herpes simplex 2 (HSV 2): causes genital lesions varicella zoster (VZV): chicken pox, shingles cytomegalovirus (CMV) epstein barr virus (EBV) HSV6: sixths disease HSV7 HSV8: kaposi sarcoma, castleman's disease, lymphoma Rick Furman > > My understanding is that chickenpox, herpes, and shingles > are all the same virus. One doesn't preclude the others. In > fact, I am guessing that having had one makes you more > susceptible to the others. Is that last statement correct? > > Kenette > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 21, 2011 Report Share Posted March 21, 2011 Kenette, Here is a simple summary of what I've recently learned about shingles: 1. To get shingles you have to have had chicken pox at some point in your life. They are the same virus (varicella zoster) as Dr. Furman stated earlier. 2. Shingles are not contagious to those who already had chicken pox. 3. Shingles are contagious to those who have not yet had chicken pox. However, these individuals would catch chicken pox (not shingles). Chris <Quoted message snipped by moderator to avoid repetition> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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