I am not immune to chicken pox, I was tested when I was pregnant and told I am not immune. My mom says I did have the chicken pox when I was little though. I am over 20 and know it can be quite bad to get. My question is, I was exposed to someone with shingles, can I catch chicken pox from them, or would I catch shingles? Also how long after exposer should signs show up if I have caught the chicken pox or shingles?
2007-08-15 12:52:04 · 15 answers · asked by SMH 2 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Infectious Diseases
Some people who have varicella (chicken pox) as children don't have enough antibodies to be immune as adults. You may be one of those.
You cannot catch shingles (herpes zoster). You can, however, catch chickenpox from someone with shingles if you aren't immune to chickenpox. There is a vaccination for shingles, but it is recommended only for adults 60 and over. Shingles happens when the varicella virus moves into the nervous system (spine) and become reactivated years later.
A person with varicella is contagious 1-2 days BEFORE the rash begins and then until all blisters have scabbed over. A person with shingles is contagious (ONLY to people who are not immune to varicella) as long as there are new blisters forming and old blisters healing. If you are exposed, it should take 10-21 days for your symptoms to appear.
The following are good sources:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/shingles/DS00098
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/chickenpox/DS00053
2007-08-15 13:47:32 · answer #1 · answered by july 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
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2016-05-02 16:52:58 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes! You can catch chicken pox from someone who has shingles.
My son caught chicken pox from an older girl at school who had chicken pox then later had shinges (a few years apart) and all the young kids who did not have chicken pox caught them.
Symptoms of chicken pox will start within a few days of exposure, and will tart with mild flu like symptoms with the actual out break of the "pox" appearing later. (thats how it is with children anyway)
Oh! i misread your question sorry, not everyone can catch shingles, shingles works slightly different and runs along the nerves under the skin (something like that?) while you can catch chicken pox from someone who has shingles when you HAVNT had chicken pox before, its less contagious if you have had chicken pox and in contact with someone who has shingles.
Shinges is apparently painful...esp as an adult, i hope who ever has them are ok!
2007-08-15 13:10:00 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
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2016-09-01 21:19:03 · answer #4 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes you can catch Chicken Pox from someone with active Shingles. However it is not passed the same way as Chicken Pox is passed through droplets in the air.
To catch it from someone with Shingles you must come into contact with the fluid from the Shingles blisters.
2007-08-15 12:58:44 · answer #5 · answered by ♥♥The Queen Has Spoken♥♥ 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
If you have never been vaccinated for the Chicken pox and never had them before, yes. You can get Chicken Pox from someone with Shingles.
If you do contract Chicken Pox... seek immediate attention. My husband was 25 when he got Chicken Pox (he worked in a funeral home when someone died of shingles - he assisted in the embalming). The pox nearly killed him.
As far as incubation time, I'd say within a week you might start seeing signs.
2007-08-15 12:56:14 · answer #6 · answered by Totem 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
you can catch chicken pox from shingles. and you can get shingles from the chicken pox vaccination. my daughter is now 11 but on her second birthday she got the vaccine and 6 months later she had this funny rash on her stomach about the size of a quarter. i took her to the DR. and they said she had shingles. and that she was the youngest person to ever be diagnosed with them and the first child to get them from the vaccine. she has had three outbreaks. her last one she was in kindergarten and i asked if she was able to give it to other people and the Dr. said that if a person has not had chicken pox and they touch the soars then they can get chicken pox. shingles is caused by the chicken pox virus that stays in your nervous system and causes shingles.
2007-08-15 13:07:17 · answer #7 · answered by brianswife 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
yup u can catch chickenpox, not shingles, from being exposed to someone with active shingles. i had shingles and was told to avoid those who hadn't had chickenpox. a person is contagious for like 14 days with shingles, so be careful and i'd go to the doctors as soon as symptoms appear if you get chickenpox. good luck
2007-08-15 13:10:26 · answer #8 · answered by lynn_89_2007 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Most likely you would catch shingles, but since it is the same virus, it is possible to get chicken poxs. Usually it takes about 2 weeks for symptoms to show, that is the "incubation" period. My suggestion is after you have your baby is get the vaccine, to boost your immunity.
2007-08-15 13:01:53 · answer #9 · answered by Niffer_78 4 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Yes. You would catch chicken pox. Watch for signs in 9 to 14 days.
I don't understand how you tested negative for immunity if you've already had them. False negative, maybe?
2007-08-15 13:02:25 · answer #10 · answered by Go Girl 4 · 2⤊ 2⤋