I never had chickenpox, can I get Shingles?

Question

I have never had Chickenpox. I'm 43, both of my kids had them and I cared for them while they were ill. I never caught the virus then either. I have had a titer drawn and show no immunity to varicella. I am also a nurse and I am exposed to people with Shingles often and I worry that I could get shingles or even chickenpox from them. Is this possible?

Answer 1

You cannot get Shingles unless you have has Chicken Pox. The virus is introduced into your system with the pox, and the lays dormant in your spinal fluid. Then if you have a compromised immune system, the virus can become active.  

Answer 2

I believe that you can only get Shingles if you've had chicken pox, since it's a result of the dormant virus becoming active again.  And if you don't carry the dormant virus (because you never had chicken pox) then you couldn't get shingles.

Answer 3

I beleive shingles is a secondry infection after you've had chickenpox. If you are a nurse can you get the varicella vaccine?

Answer 4

No you can't.  Shingles is endogenous, meaning it has to be in your body already from having the chicken pox.  It crops up later as shingles, as it is the same virus.  It has different names, but is the same.