Re: Possible dangers of an infant being exposed to a patient with shingles

Posted By Kelsey on March 22, 1999 at 11:39:12:

In Reply to: Possible dangers of an infant being exposed to a patient with shingles posted by Sam on March 19, 1999 at 12:32:24:







Hi, my 7 year old daughter was just diagnosed with shingles. She had a good case of chicken pox a year ago. I was told that after you have chicken pox, the virus lies dormant in your nerve endings. If you get stressed out, run-down, or are exposed to the chicken pox virus again, sometimes it will surface as shingles. He said they are only dangerous to immune suppressed individuals, pregnant women and maybe an elderly person not in good health. It is not air borne, so she can only contaminate an individual by touching the rash and then them. My daughter is going to school, but I am covering the shingles with a single layer of gauze to prevent her from scratching them. I don't think a baby would be at risk unless your baby comes in contact with the shingles rash directly by the person with shingles touching the rash and then your daughter. Good hand washing is essential during the 2 week period. I hope this helps ease your mind. We didn't know anything about them until this week when my daughter got them. She was exposed to the chicken pox virus in school. I also was told that if you never had the chicken pox you can get the chicken pox from a person with shingles, but again, only through direct contact with the blisters. Good luck.