I don't know but what I did read (true or not I'll let the medical field scientists fight it out) is that shingles is on the rise BECAUSE children are being vaccinated against chicken pox. We used to walk through malls, grocery stores etc coming across children who had chicken pox but weren't showing yet and so we were constantly being exposed to chicken pox. Through that we were picking up the "live" vaccine and so being constantly immunized through out our lives. That is no longer happening because kids are no longer getting the chicken pox.

It could also be the shingles is on the rise because of our aging population or it could be a combination of the two factors. I have 3 friends all in their late 50's who have had shingles in the past 3 years but people has young as 30 are getting it.

My pediatrician told me that they believe the chickenpox vaccine would help prevent shingles.

Shingles is just the virus reactivating in our bodies and with a lower viral load (getting vaccinated vs. having full blown case), it seems like it would at least lessen the likelihood.

I've had shingles twice. Once when I was 15 and once when I was 30. When I was 15 I was chronically sick and I'm guessing the lowered immune system caused it to come out.

When I was 30 I was under extreme physical stress.

My understanding is the same as texasgem, shingles is when the virus (which lies dormant in the body after getting chickenpox) gets reactivated and it's usually when the immune system is weakened which can be caused by other illness or stress. The virus which is normally kept in check by the immune system comes out of dormancy as shingles. The blister fluid is contagious and if a person who has never had chicken pox gets infected from someone with shingles, they'll get chicken pox not shingles. I would think the live vaccine would only cause shingles if it caused chicken pox in the person to begin with which is probably unlikely in the small amount used in a vaccine?

Two summers ago two of my kids, then 25 and 27, both got shingles on their torsos within a month of each other. They live in different states. Both had chicken pox as kids.

Peeps, I understand how shingles occurs in those of us who have HAD the pox. I've had the pox and the shingles. (My pox was an extreme case. My shingles was a mild case, but certainly stress-related.) I'm 70+.

I'm asking if the vaccine -- because it is a live vaccine -- hinders or enhances a vaccinated person's chances of developing shingles. Maybe it's not known, or can't be traced to having been vaccinated.

According to the synopsis here, vaccinated people seem much less likely to get shingles (and only if they are of the 1% who get chicken pox anyway, even after vaccination). HOWEVER, probably no absolute determination can be made yet because those who were vaccinated for chicken pox have not yet reached the age at which contracting shingles is most likely. I think evidence points to having to actually get chicken pox to get shingles, though.

Interview with CDC expert regarding this.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/822982

Thanks! This all makes sense. Shingles cases are on the rise primarily because we are living longer, giving us more years in which to have the painful outbreaks.

It seems that shingles cases are *not* linked to people who were vaccinated against the pox. However, not enough vaccinated individuals have reached 60+ when shingles most commonly first occurs. (And it occurs then because...our immune systems begin to weaken.)

My question is the result of an overactive brain that won't stop coming up with random thoughts at 3 a.m. LOL