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This is a layman's understanding of the situation. Shingles occurs in individuals who have already had episodes of chickenpox, sometimes many years prior to the shingles. The virus doesn't leave the system after the course of the original episode of chickenpox. The virus takes up residence in various parts of the nervous system, where it just remains completely harmless for most people. It is not clear what triggers an episode of shingles, but the virus will sometimes work its way down the nerves/neurons to cause an episode of 'shingles'. Shingles itself is not caused (at least directly) by exposure to an airborne virus. Chickenpox, however, can be transmitted as an airborne infection. Possibly, although rarely, an individual may become infected with chickenpox following skin contact with the virus, since it has high concentrations in the liquids in the characteristic body lesions.

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16y ago
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12y ago

Shingles is reactivation of prior chicken pox infection. While a person with shingles can transmit the chicken pox virus to someone through skin to skin contact, if that person hasn't had chicken pox previously, it is not airborne.
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No, you can not catch shingles airborne.

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10y ago

Yes. It is transmitted by coughing , sneezing, AND by direct contact with wet chickenpox blisters or sores.

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10y ago

Chickenpox can be spread through airborne transmission, but shingles cannot. Both can be spread by skin-to-skin contact with the blisters or sores.

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13y ago

In most cases, yes

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Q: Is shingles or chickenpox airborne
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Related questions

Can one pimple be shingles?

No. You only get shingles's if you have had chickenpox. No chickenpox no shingles's.


Can you get shingles from lying in a bed after someone else who had shingles say in a hospital?

Shingles is caused by the chickenpox virus. You do not get shingles from someone with shingles; you get chickenpox from someone with shingles. Then when you get older, you will get shingles because you had chickenpox. Or, you might get older and never get chickenpox. In that case, you will thank your mother for having you vaccinated against chickenpox when you were a child.


Where in the world do you find chickenpox and shingles?

Chickenpox and shingles are found throughout the world.


Can chickenpox be caused by shingles?

Once you get the chicken pox infection, the virus gets hidden in your posterior root ganglion. How does it evades the immune system is poorly understood. It comes out in the form of herpes zoster or shingles, when your immunity lowers down. There is no mutation of the virus.


Can shingles or chickenpox be transferred by a third party?

Shingles and chickenpox can only be transferred by someone who is infected.


Is it possible to get chickenpox from some one who has shingles when you have only had shingles at a young age and not chickenpox?

First, you can't get shingles at any age unless you have previously had chickenpox. Although your chickenpox illness may have been so mild that you didn't notice, a diagnosis of shingles is proof that you had chickenpox. Second, only those who have never had chickenpox can get chickenpox from shingles. Third, shingles is only contagious through direct contact with wet lesions, and is not likely to be spread through casual contact.


You have idiopathic urticaria can you get shingles from someone with chickenpox?

You can't get shingles from someone with chickenpox, whatever your other medical conditions. You only get shingles from reactivation of your own prior infection with chickenpox virus.


Can you catch shingles from other children who have shingles?

No. While you can catch chickenpox, shingles comes from a virus already within you (chickenpox virus) so you can only have shingles if you have previously had chickenpox. I myself had shingles back when I was in the fourth grade but neither my brother nor my sister ever had it.


Can you get shingles from someone if you have had chickenpox?

No, it is not.


Are shingles catchy?

No. You can however catch chickenpox from the shingles if you've never had them before. The shingles themselves come from a dormant chickenpox virus in your skin tissue.


If you are vaccinated against chickenpox can you still get shingles?

No, there is no reason to get chickenpox vaccine if you've had shingles. You should talk with your health care provider about shingles vaccine.


Is there a shingles titer?

You appear to be confused about the nature of shingles. A positive varicella titer shows that you have had chickenpox in the past, or that you have had the vaccine for chickenpox. You can't get shingles unless you've had chickenpox. If you have had chickenpox, a positive varicella titer is not protective against shingles, and you may need the vaccine. Discuss with your health care provider whether shingles vaccine makes sense for you.