Shingles is a disease which has been spreading it ugly claws over the world in a silent but dangerous manner. The disease is colloquially referred to as Herpes Zoster or simply Zoster. The main impact of shingles is that it leads to development of painful blisters all over the skin of the patient. Shingles contagious disease is caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox but the two ailments are much different. This virus is referred to as Varicella Zoster Virus(VZV) and is known to cause Shingles in people who had contracted chicken pox in the childhood.



What happens is that even after the chicken pox is gone, a small strain of the VZV still remains in the body. As long as the immune system of the person remains healthy, the virus does nothing but just sit there and bid its time. With the passage of time as the body ages and immunity weakens, the virus strikes again, this time with shingles contagious disease. Shingles attacks the nervous system of the patient.

Common symptoms of Shingles:

The very first symptom of Shingles is a low grade fever. This fever can last up to six days. Along with the fever, the patient would experience headaches., high degree of fatigue, chills and problems with the digestive systems. The problem here is that even the bet of physicians may misdiagnose the disease as the flu. It is not until the small and painful blisters develop on the on the skin that Shingles is recognized as the culprit. The blisters may be anywhere between the spine and the chest.

The main threat of Shingles:

Every single illness needs to be treated and some need proper and immediate treatment. Shingles is one such disease.It will directly attack the nervous system of the patient, thus leading to a number of other problems along with the very painful blisters that it causes by itself. It is a must that proper and swift treatment be done to make sure that Shingles does not become a terminal illness or lead to one.

Who are the most prone to Shingles:

All the people who have ever had chicken pox ever in their lifetime are suspect to fall victims to shingles contagious disease. In most of the cases, the starts raising its ugly head as people cross the age of 50. Since the disease is able to come up because of a weakened immune system, it is also known to impact people who have immunity issues like those suffering from HIV/AIDS . The disease is also know to hit people taking immunosuppressive drugs.

Precautions related to Shingles:

The dreadful shingles contagious disease that it is requires that the patient take a number of precautions in order to protect those around him it is a must to keep the sores or blisters covered all the time. They should not be touched unless with proper medical care and supervision . The rashes and blisters must also be protected from direct sunlight and harsh chemicals.