 |
 |
>CArol is correct herpes zoster -or varacella (zoster) stays with you. >You do not get zoster unless you have had chickenpos and then not unless >there some stress of some kind -either physical or sometimes mental. It >usually does not show up (after chicken pox) untill the person is older >or if they have and immune supression disease (cancer etc.-don't decide >you have cancer because I wrote that). There is evidence that Herpes Zoster may be contracted by exposure to the virus (a grandchild with chicken pox, or friend with Herpes should be avoided until their lesions are healed). Folks with depressed immune systems are at greater risk -people receiving chemotherapy and AIDS sufferers are especially vulnerable. We isolate patients with Herpes because it is considered contagious - viral load (the amount of virus an individual is exposed to) may determine whether or not the disease will be contracted. ----- Mary Ann