Risk Factors for Shingles

Risk factor list: The list of risk factors mentioned for Shingles in various sources includes:

• Chicken pox - the risk is from having chicken pox years ago, not recently.
• Chronic illness
• Immune-suppressed people - at higher risk and can get recurrent bouts of shingles.
• AIDS
• Cancer
• Stress
• Hodgkin's disease

Risk factors discussion: Although it is most common in people over age 50, anyone who has had chickenpox is at risk for developing shingles. Shingles is also more common in people with weakened immune systems from HIV infection, chemotherapy or radiation treatment, transplant operations and stress.¹

Although shingles can occur in anyone exposed to the varicella-zoster virus, research has established two general risk factors for the disease: (1) Advanced age; and (2) A weakened immune system. Studies show that people over age 80 have a five times greater chance of having shingles than adults between the ages of 20 and 40. Unlike herpes simplex I, the varicella-zoster virus does not usually flare up more than once in adults with normally functioning immune systems.²

Although it is most common in people over age 50, anyone who has had chickenpox can develop shingles. It also is common in people with weakened immune systems due to HIV infection, chemotherapy or radiation treatment, transplant operations, and stress.³

Risks factors for Shingles: medical news summaries: The following medical news items are relevant to risk factors for Shingles:

• Early treatment of shingles can reduce risk of developing a painful condition

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