Ask the Experts About LGBT Health
Q: Shingles and chickenpox virus
My partner's father is currently having shingles. My partner is going back to his parents in two weeks. I never had chickenpox but my partner did in the past. Do I have to worry about him bringing back the virus after he spends time with his folks?
According to my mother I was vaccinated for chickenpox when I was a kid. Since it took place such long time ago, I am not sure if I really did have such vaccination or if the vaccine still works.
Do I need to do anything to keep myself from contracting the chickenpox virus indirectly from my partner?
Thank you for your time. I look forward to hearing from you.
A: Response from Dr. Raney
The short answer is that you do not have to worry about catching chickenpox (aka Varicella Zoster) from your partner and therefore do not need to do anything to protect yourself in this situation. A person must have direct contact with the shingles blisters in order to contract the virus, which you did not. Also, because you have been vaccinated (according to your mother), it is very unlikely that you could become infected even if you did have contact with the blisters, or with the virus in another situation. Moreover, your partner can not carry the chicken pox from his father to you because he has already had chicken pox and is therefore immune (there are very rare cases when people get chicken pox more than once, but this is highly unlikely) and also because he is unlikely to make direct contact with the shingles rash, which is usually covered up by clothing.
Regarding varicella vaccination, it has been found to be 97% effective against moderate and severe disease and 44-85% effective against any infection. We are now recommending a booster dose for children, which you may not have had as it was not recommended for the first several years the vaccine was on the market. If you have concerns, you can talk to your doctor about whether or not you are a candidate for a booster. There is also now a booster vaccine for adults over the age of 60 that is specifically intended to reduce the likelihood of shingles in people that have had chickenpox. Note that varicella vaccine is a live viral vaccine and therefore should not be given to people with immune suppression, or pregnant women.
Almost all adults in the U.S., including those who believe they have not had chickenpox, actually do demonstrate immunity when tested, because they may have had a subclinical case, i.e. a case with no symptoms, but enough to produce immunity.
Finally, you may be wondering how shingles occur. Chicken pox virus is a member of the Herpes virus family (but is not the same as herpes simplex, which can cause cold sores or genital herpes). The virus remains in the body after a person has had a case of chicken pox, but it is sequestered in the sensory nerve roots along the spinal cord. Shingles can occur when a person's immune system becomes taxed by extreme stress, or is suppressed by other illnesses or medications, and the zoster virus "escapes". The virus then crops up along the course of the particular spinal nerve root from which it escapes. It is generally quite a painful rash, as the nerve is inflamed, and appears in very specific patterns that represent the territory of a single sensory nerve.
Thanks and best wishes,
Pat Raney, MD
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Forum Experts
 Harvey J. Makadon, MD is Clinical Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Director of Education and Training at The Fenway Institute at Fenway Health in Boston. He is a member of the Division of General Medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and is the lead editor of The Fenway Guide to LGBT Health, published by the American College of Physicians in 2007. He has long been involved in developing both educational and clinical programs to serve gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender populations.  Patricia Raney, MD, is a staff physician at Fenway Health in Boston, Massachusetts. She is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts Medical School and is Board Certified in Family Medicine. Her clinical interests include women's health and wellness, primary care, preventive care and the health concerns of lesbians, bisexual women and transgender people. On a more personal note, she is an avid stone carver. |
