Can you get chickpox twice or get shingles from CP?

Question

My baby has CP and I'm visiting relatives today but one of them just said he's worried about catching it again. I thought you couldn't get it twice, I also thought that you couldn't catch shingles from CP but could catch CP from Shingles?

Answer 1

My hubby has had cp 3 times. Twice as a kid and the last tme he had them he was in his 30s

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

2

Answer 4

Usually people get chicken pox once only - although there are exceptions to every rule. The virus stays in the body forever and sometimes usually when the immune system is compromised - stress, colds etc - it flares up along a nerve path causing shingles. This is a very painful and awkward disease. Its incidence grows with age so that half of people over 80 will get shingles in one form or another!

Personally I would think twice about taking the baby visiting if the spots are still erupting or wet. If they have all dried up and become scabby then they are no longer infectious.

Answer 5

My son was 5 wks old when he got CP, then last yr aged 2 he got shingles, my Dr said that because he only got 1 spot with the CP it would make him more susceptible to shingles, I don't think there is a general rule that applies to be honest as everyone will tell a different version.

Answer 6

First of all, you can get shingles from contact with someone with chicken pox, but you can't get chicken pox from someone with shingles. It is possible to have chicken pox more than once, this usually depends on your immune system, if it's very strong, you probably wont get CP twice. Mine is weak, so I've had CP three times and shingles when I was 25.

Answer 7

A few people can get CP more than once, I've had it 6 times!! But most only get it once. Shingles is the adult version, if you get CP as an adult, that's generally how it manifests and is therefore more dangerous, especially to the elderly. But if you've had CP before, you're less likely to get it (that's why people bring their children round to catch CP when they're young - unpleasant but safer in the long run!)

Answer 8

Chicken pox is caused by a virus caused Varicella. Once you have had Varicella infection the chances are you will not get it again, however there are multiple strains and it is possible to catch different strains giving you chicken pox more than once.



Once you have had chicken pox the virus lies dormant in an area of your spinal cord called the dorsal root ganglion (where it becomes known as herpes zoster). The virus can re-activate at any time causing shingles. However, you cannot catch shingles from someone with chicken pox the same as you cannot catch chicken pox from someone with shingles (they are 2 different viruses). It is possible to have shingles more than once as the virus lies dormant again after the first attack.



The nature of the virus means that it is never entirely cleared from your body as it "hides" away in the dorsal root ganglion.



If your relatives are concerned it may be best to stay away (especially if they have children who have not had chicken pox, are pregnant or have a deficiency of their immune system). I hope your baby gets better soon.

Answer 9

i had cp 3 times as a child so u can get it more thn once shingles is something u get as a adult wen ur a bit older in life

Answer 10

I had chicken pox twice when I was 7. But the first time was a lot worse than the second.

Answer 11

generally you get chicken pox 1st and its worse the older you are then if you get it again its shingles which is even worse again... as far a i know anyway

Answer 12

as far as I know, you can only get it once. I think that one's body builds up an immunity to it once one's had it.

Answer 13

yes you can get it twice......