SHINGLESBy: Kendyl

THE DISEASE

Almost 1 of every 3 people will get shingles in their life.There is an estimated 1 million cases of shingles each year in the U.S.The Shingles disease has been around for so long that they haven’t found who discovered it.There haven’t been any major outbreaks of shingles

HOW DO YOU GET SHINGLES? The shingles disease contains a virus called Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV) which is also known as Human Herpesvirus 3 (HHV3)

Chicken pox also contain the same virus as shingles

The way you develop shingles is if you ever had chickenpox you have a chance of getting the shingles disease. You can only get shingles if you have ever had chickenpox

After you’re cured of chickenpox the Varicella-Zoster Virus lives in your nerve tissue which then gives you a chance of then getting shingles later in your life

WHAT PARTS OF YOUR BODY ARE AFFECTED BY SHINGLES?

Shingles can affect the whole body but mostly only affects one side or one part of the body

Shingles is usually found on the trunk, abdomen, or torso

Can affect the face, head, eyes, mouth, or ear and are rarely found on the arms and legs

SYMPTOMS OF SHINGLES

First signs of shingles: unilateral tingling, itching, or stabbing pain on your skinWith shingles you’ll obtain blisters, pain, itching, fever, chills, headache and upset stomach

IS IT CONTAGIOUS?

Shingles itself is not contagious but the Varicella-Zoster Virus that causes shingles is contagious.

The virus can be spread from a person with active shingles to someone that hasn’t had chickenpox

Virus spread through direct contact with the fluid from the rash blisters of shingles

No longer contagious once the rash is crusty and is not contagious before the rash develops

HOW TO TREAT SHINGLES

There are a lot of drugs to treat shingles such as:● Antiviral Drugs ● Nerve Blockers ● Skin Treatments● Other Pain Medications

1)HOW TO KEEP FROM SPREADING THE VARICELLA-ZOSTER VIRUS

Keep the rash covered

Wash hands often so you don’t spread the Varicella-zoster Virus

Don’t touch or scratch the rash

● Avoid contact with:

1. Pregnant women who have not had chickenpox or the chickenpox vaccine

2. Premature or low birth weight children

3. People with weak immune systems

WHO HAS THE GREATEST RISK OF GETTING SHINGLES?

Anyone who has had chickenpox has a chance of getting shingles but some people who have had chickenpox have a greater risk at getting shingles which are:

people who have medical conditions which keeps their immune systems from working properly

people who receive immunosuppressive drugs

WHERE IS THE SHINGLES DISEASE COMMON?

It’s rare but children can develop shingles

The risk of getting shingles increases as you get older

About ½ the shingles occur in men or women 60 years or older

Shingles occur everywhere in the world but occur more in the places where people can’t get vaccinated

HOW DOES THE VIRUS REPRODUCE?

One virus enters the body and it has things that they call “keys” on the virus. Once the virus matches with one of the cells the cell pulls the virus in. The cell guides the virus to its own command center. Once the virus is in the command center it is recognized by a big pink molecule. Then it threads through one hole on the molecule and then threads out the other side and it’s making copies if the virus. So then it goes in as one virus and comes out as more than 1 million viruses.

HOW DOES THE IMMUNE SYSTEM KILL THE VIRUS?

You’re body has 2 important cells which are called the B cell and the T cell. The B cell makes antibodies and is not as important as the T cell. The T cell kills the virus infected cell, activates interferon which inhibits a virus replication, and activates other cells which kills the virus.

SOURCES

Shmoop Editorial Team. "Immune Defense Against Viruses - Shmoop Biology." Shmoop.com. Shmoop University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 17 Dec. 2015

"Overview." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 17 Sept. 2014. Web. 16 Dec. 2015.

"Re: Who Discovered the Shingles?" Re: Who Discovered the Shingles? N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2015.

"Herpes Zoster (Shingles)." TheBody.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2015."On What Parts of Your Body Are Shingles Found?" LIVESTRONG.COM.

LIVESTRONG.COM, 11 June 2015. Web. 18 Dec. 2015.

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