Shingles & Health Professionals

Posted February 22nd, 2005 by Anonymous

Shingles

I am a caregiver for a 92 year old woman who has shingles or herpes, they are located on her butt. What precautions should I take ?
She is taking a medication in a cream form. that stops the itch but the rash is still there

Comments

Precautions with Shingles

On February 22nd, 2005 iv says:

Hi,

(I've given your post a more descriptive title and moved it)

I am assuming that you are worried that you might catch Shingles from the 92 year old woman.

Shingles is not contagious. Shingles is a reactivation of chickenpox. It's quite difficult to treat as there is no cure and some people get very painful itching. Read more in our Shingles FAQ section.

Kind regards,

Herpes Zoster

On September 21st, 2005 diamond says:

I work in a nursing home. There is a resident who has herpes zoster. Should as employee who is pregnant or has small children at home care for the resident?

Herpes Zoster and the work place

On September 21st, 2005 iv says:

Hi diamond,

Herpes Zoster is the same as shingles. It is not contagious as it's a reactivation of chickenpox.

Herpes in the workplace

On September 23rd, 2005 Nannanurse says:

I have to make a comment here regarding the statement made by 'iv' stating that Herpes Zoster/Shingles is not contagious...........that is FALSE!!
Shingles/Herpes Z IS contagious when the blisters have formed and rupture. If you are around somebody who has this and you have never had Chicken Pox, you run a high risk of contracting the disease.

Nannanurse

Clarification

On September 24th, 2005 iv says:

Hi Nannanurse,

Thanks for your input, I stand corrected. I have simplified my answers a bit, the reason I write that shingles is not contagious is that most people have had chickenpox when they were children, and then shingles isn't contagious.

Kind regards,

Dear IV........Not sure I

On September 26th, 2005 Nannanurse says:

Dear IV........Not sure I understand your comment regarding people who have had chicken-pox as children and shingles not being contagious.???? I had chicken-pox when I was 6...I still remember them. I've also had 5 outbreaks of shingles in the last year. Yes, being a nurse in a high stress area does make me more of a target. The shingles is due from a dormant virus since I had CP, but it is still a highly contagious disorder. If a patient comes into the hospital and has a history of shingles, they are put on isolation as a precaution. If they have an 'active' case, they are not allowed to be around other patients until it crusts over.

Hi Nannanurse, I was under

On September 27th, 2005 iv says:

Hi Nannanurse,

I was under the impression - from extensive research - that shingles is a reactivation of chickenpox. Varicella Hepes Zoster causes chikenpox, and it (Varicella) will then stay latent untill it, in some people, reactivates as Shingles, usually in the elderly. Novartis has a break down of this on their Famciclovir site.

Kind regards,

Hello

On July 18th, 2007 arobert says:

You cant be more right.

Herpes Doctor