By Laurel Thompson
CCHD Registered Nurse

Shingles is a disease caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. In fact, it’s actually a reawakening of an old chickenpox infection. The good news … there’s a vaccine to help prevent shingles known by the brand name Zostavax.
    Shingles usually occurs in elderly  people, however, it is also possible for younger people with a weakened immune system to contract the disease. Common symptoms of shingles include a rash (usually in a band-like pattern on one side of the body), severe pain or itching, fever, headache, chills and upset stomach. Sometimes the nerve pain can last for months or years. Very rarely, a shingles infection can lead to pneumonia, hearing problems, blindness, brain inflammation (encephalitis) or death.
    You can’t catch shingles from other people.  The virus can be spread if the person with shingles has a weeping rash/blisters,  and someone else touches the rash area.  But that person won’t get shingles, they could only get chicken pox, odd as that sounds.  A person is able to spread the virus until the blisters are covered with scabs. Only people who have had chickenpox (or the chickenpox vaccine) at some point in their lives can get shingles.
    The disease occurs when the chickenpox virus, which can live silently in the nervous system for decades, reawakens. This can be caused by a weakening of the immune system, most commonly from advancing age, but also from other causes such as the AIDS virus, immuno-suppressive drugs used to treat cancers and transplant recipients, and stress. Most often, cases of shingles occur among adults who are otherwise healthy. And a past infection does not make a person immune to re-infection.
    Shingles affects approximately 1 million Americans annually. Individuals have about a 20-30 percent chance of getting shingles during their lifetime. Approximately half of those who live to be 85 years old will have one or more encounters with the disease.
    A vaccine for shingles was licensed in 2006 for people who are 60 years of age and older and is commonly known as Zostavax. It is a one-time injectable vaccine. In clinical trials, the vaccine prevented shingles in about half of people 60 years of age and older, which means it does not prevent a person 100% from getting shingles.  Even if you  would get the vaccine, you may get shingles, however by having the shingles vaccination, you most likely will have less pain associated with the disease.
    The vaccine is available at most medical clinics (check with your clinic for vaccine availability), however, people who are covered under Medicare are usually encouraged to have the vaccine administered elsewhere since Zostavax is not covered by Medicare Part B. Instead, seniors should get a prescription from their physician and purchase the vaccine through a pharmacy. Some pharmacies have the vaccine on hand, others do not. The vaccine is then covered, in part, under Medicare Part D (the prescription portion). Most seniors will pay anywhere from $25 to $70 out of pocket for the vaccine, depending on their Part D plan. The actual cost to Medicare recipients can be found by contacting their Part D provider.
    For those who don’t have Part D coverage, the cost of self-pay vaccine is approximately $190, depending on market prices and individual pharmacies. The vaccine can then be administered locally by a nurse at City-County Health District for $13.50 (suggested donation for administration cost, however, no one is refused administration because of inability to pay) or by a few local pharmacists (check with your pharmacy).
    Those who purchase their vaccine through a local pharmacy should be aware that the Zostavax vaccine is VERY fragile and must be kept at a constant frozen temperature. The pharmacy should send you directly to City-County Health or other vaccine administrator, with the vaccine packed in an insulated box with dry ice or other appropriate coolant. DO NOT stop along the way to run an errand or visit casually with someone.
    A person should not get a shingles vaccination if he/she has ever had a life-threatening allergic reaction to gelatin, the antibiotic neomycin, or any other component of shingles vaccine; has a weakened immune system because of HIV/AIDS or other diseases that affects the immune system; is undergoing treatment with drugs that affect the immune system, such as steroids; is receiving radiation or chemotherapy for cancer treatment; has a history of cancer affecting the bone marrow or lymphatic system, such as leukemia or lymphoma; or has active, untreated tuberculosis. Anyone who is moderately or severely ill should wait until they recover before getting the vaccine.
    For more information, contact City-County Health District at 845-8518 or your healthcare professional.
The YOUR HEALTH column is coordinated by Mercy Hospital.