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Shingles usually appears as a rash
in the shape of a stripe or band.

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It often erupts in blisters
and causes pain.

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It mostly appears on the back or chest,

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and is normally confined
to only one side of the body.

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Shingles is caused
by the same disease-causing organism

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as chickenpox – the varicella zoster virus.

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Both chickenpox and shingles
can infect people who

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have not previously had contact
with the varicella zoster virus.

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If a person has never had chickenpox
and comes into contact with the virus,

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they will get chickenpox
rather than shingles.

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After a chickenpox infection, the virus
remains in a dormant or inactive state

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at the nerve roots around the spinal cord

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or in the cranial nerves in the brain.

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It generally causes no symptoms
but, over the course of a person's life,

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the virus may become reactivated
and begin to multiply again.

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This happens in around one in five people
who have had chickenpox.

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When the virus becomes active again,
it moves along the affected nerve

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until it reaches the skin,
where it triggers an inflammation.

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This appears as a skin rash,
which causes burning

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or stabbing pains in the affected area.

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A few days before the shingles
can be seen and felt,

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people usually feel tired and worn out.

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In some cases, there is a slight fever
and tingling in the skin.

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Shingles normally clears up on its own
within two to four weeks.

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However, in one to two people
out of every ten,

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the nerve pain may last for weeks,
months or years.

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In people with a weakened immune system,

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shingles can cause further complications,
such as

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inflammation of the lungs or liver
or meningitis in the brain and spinal cord.

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The virus may be reactivated

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if the immune system is weakened

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and the virus can no longer
be kept under control.

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This can happen as a result of illness
or stress, for example.

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The immune system
also gradually weakens with age.

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That’s why shingles
mostly affects older people.

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For this reason,
the Standing Committee on Vaccination

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recommends that people over 60
should be vaccinated against shingles.

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Vaccination is recommended
from the age of 50 for anyone

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with a chronic disease
or weakened immunity.

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In short:

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• Shingles and chickenpox
are caused by the same virus.

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• Before a person can get shingles,
they must have already had chickenpox

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in the past.

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• After a chickenpox infection,
the virus stays dormant

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in the nerves and can become reactivated

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if the immune system is weakened.

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• Older people
are at a particularly high risk.

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That’s why vaccination against shingles
is recommend for those aged 60 plus.