Shingles Diseases | 19 May 2025

Source: IE 

Recent studies show the shingles vaccine, primarily designed to prevent viral reactivation, may reduce risks of cardiovascular diseases by 23% and lower dementia risk. 

• About Shingles Diseases: It is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, which also causes chickenpox.  
  • After childhood chickenpox, the virus stays dormant in nerve cells and can reactivate as shingles when immunity weakens. 
• Symptoms: Shingles causes painful rashes and blisters, usually on one side of the torso. If close to the eye, it can cause vision loss, facial paralysis, or brain inflammation. 
• Transmission: People without prior chickenpox can contract the virus by touching fluid from shingles blisters or inhaling airborne virus particles. 
• Vaccine: It is recommended for individuals aged 50 years and above, and for adults with weakened immune systems (e.g., HIV patients). 
  • There are treatments for shingles symptoms, but there is no cure. 
• Dementia: It is a condition that slowly worsens thinking abilities beyond normal aging. It affects memory, thinking, understanding, learning, language, and judgment, but does not affect consciousness.