Is it true you can only get chicken pox once in your life?

Question

My friends are saying if you have it mild the first time you might catch it again. Which is which?

Answer 1

Once you have chickenpox, you are considered immune; you will not have a serious infection again, but you may have a mild infection (called a breakthrough infection). Generally, if the virus becomes active again, it will not result in chickenpox but can cause shingles, or herpes zoster.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

Once you get the chicken pox virus, you will always carry it. You can get it again if you have a mild case the first time. Even if you have a serious case, you'll still carry the virus--and you can get shingles later in life!!! Shingles are caused by the SAME VIRUS as chicken pox! So while you may not get chicken pox again, you're at risk for getting shingles.

Answer 4

nope there is nothing like that..i've had chicken pox twice in my life. the thing is that once u get it then ur body will develop a strain against the virus which will help your red blood cells to fight against the virus the next time u are infected.

Thats why they say that if u get chicken pox when ur a kid then the chances of getting it again is pretty low coz ur body will be having the "anti bodies" to prevent it. But if not..then u could get it again and again

Answer 5

Yup...u can still catch it another time. When u first get it, ur body builds up antibodies but this immunity only last for about 10 yrs. After that u are susceptible again. And...once u have chicken pox, u now have a chance of getting cold sores, herpes and even shingles...cos the virus stays dormant in ur body and shows up again when ur immunity is down.

Answer 6

Children get the chicken pox vaccine now, and have been since, I believe 1991 or 1992. Something like that. Anyway, if you get it before the age of seven, you're safe, but after that, your chances of getting it again increase, and getting it a second time can be very serious.

Answer 7

Yes, someone could possibly get it more than once, but that is extremely rare and usually only in cases where the first time was very mild or the child was very young.

Answer 8

Chickenpox is a virus like the flu. once you first contract it, the body builds up a stock of antibodies specifically created for the purpose of fighting the virus. Once its gone, there are a number of antibodies still in your system, and the more severe the case, the more left over antibodies will be in your system and the more effective each one will be at fighting the virus. So if you contract it early in life, you might contract it later if the number or effectiveness of those antibodies still in your system are not equipped enough to defend you from it. I've heard of people contracting it up to 4 or 5 times in 1 lifetime, for the same reasons.

Answer 9

once you first contract it, the body builds up a stock of antibodies specifically created for the purpose of fighting the virus. Once its gone, there are a number of antibodies still in your system, and the more severe the case, the more left over antibodies will be in your system and the more effective each one will be at fighting the virus. So if you contract it early in life, you might contract it later if the number or effectiveness of those antibodies still in your system are not equipped enough to defend you from it. I've heard of people contracting it up to 4 or 5 times in 1 lifetime, for the same reasons.

Answer 10

if you have chicken pox it is POSSIBLE that you CAN get it again.

although after you get it the first time there is a chance for you to get it again, the probability is unbelievably low so we just consider it as you cant get it again

generally people who get it once dont get it again, but there are plenty of exceptions. my cousin had it twice, i remember both times because i'd tease him about looking like he's going to explode. good times good times

Answer 11

You may get chickpox more than once. If you get it as an adult it is called shingles. It is not rare to get chicken pox/shingles more than once.