“Shingles is caused by the herpes zoster virus,” says Michelle Henry, MD, dermatologist in New York City and clinical instructor at Weill Cornell Medical College. “It’s a chickenpox virus that many of us have already had, so once you’ve had the virus, it remains in the body and kind of lives in the nerve’s root, and it can be reactivated."
As of November 2020, there is now only one type of shingles vaccine which is the two dose series injection available for 50 and older; however, people as young as 19 with weakened immune systems may also be eligible for the vaccine.
Learn more about vaccines you may need in adulthood.
Dr. Henry is a board-certified dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon in New York City, and a clinical instructor at Weill Cornell Medical College.
References
Albrecht, M.A. (2024). Patient education: shingles (beyond the basics). UpToDate.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Shingles (herpes zoster): vaccination.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). About shingles.
National Institute on Aging. (n.d.). Shingles.
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