Shingles is an infection that causes a painful skin rash. However, it only develops in people who have previously had chickenpox. The rash and other symptoms usually disappear within a few weeks, but in rare cases, shingles can cause complications.
Shingles in children is rare. It only develops in people who have previously had chickenpox.
This article explains what shingles is, looks at the symptoms, and discusses how doctors diagnose and treat the condition. It will also outline the risk factors and explore how people can help prevent shingles.
What is shingles?
Shingles, which doctors call herpes zoster, is an infection that causes a painful skin rash. It develops when something triggers the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) in the body.
VZV is the virus that causes chickenpox. Once a person has recovered from chickenpox, VZV does not go away. It stays in the body and, in some people, can later reactivate to cause shingles.
In the United States, there are about four cases of herpes zoster for every 1,000 people each year.
Most of these cases occur in adults, as shingles in children is rare, affecting just 0.45 in every 1,000 individuals under the age of 14 years.
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