Can You Get Shingles from Another Person if You've Had Chickenpox?
No, you cannot get shingles from another person if you've already had chickenpox—shingles results from reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) already dormant in your own body, not from external exposure. 1
Understanding VZV Transmission and Reactivation
Primary Infection vs. Reactivation
- After you have chickenpox, VZV establishes permanent latency in your neuronal ganglia (specifically the dorsal root ganglia), where it remains dormant for life 1, 2
- Shingles occurs when this latent virus reactivates within your own body—it is not a new infection caught from someone else 1, 2
- Approximately 20-30% of people who have had chickenpox will develop shingles during their lifetime, with incidence increasing markedly after age 50 1
What You CAN Catch from Someone with Shingles
Important caveat: While you cannot get shingles from another person, VZV can be transmitted from someone with active shingles to a susceptible person (someone who has never had chickenpox or the vaccine) 1
- If you've never had chickenpox and are exposed to someone with shingles, you can develop chickenpox (not shingles) 1
- The transmission risk from shingles is approximately 20% of the risk from chickenpox exposure 1
- Transmission occurs via direct contact with the vesicular lesions, not through airborne droplets like chickenpox 1
Risk Factors for Shingles Reactivation
Age-Related Risk
- The increased incidence with aging is associated with natural decline in cell-mediated immunity to VZV 1
- Approximately 50% of people aged 80 years or older will experience shingles 3
Immunosuppression
- HIV-infected adults have a greater than 15-fold higher incidence of herpes zoster compared to age-matched controls 1, 2
- Immunocompromising conditions (chemotherapy, malignancies, chronic corticosteroid use) significantly increase reactivation risk 4
- In allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant recipients with prior VZV infection, approximately 30% experience reactivation without antiviral prophylaxis 2
Common Pitfall to Avoid
Do not confuse exposure risk with reactivation risk. If you've had chickenpox, your risk of developing shingles is determined by your immune status and age—not by whether you've been around someone with shingles or chickenpox 1, 2. The virus is already inside you, waiting to potentially reactivate.