It is not possible to catch shingles from someone else with the condition. The shingles virus is reactivated from a previous infection with the varicella-zoster virus (the virus that causes chickenpox) and is not transmitted by person-to-person contact.
However, it is possible for someone who has never had chickenpox to catch chickenpox from someone with shingles. In the UK, chickenpox is so common during childhood that 9 out of 10 adults have had it, so will not be affected.
Catching chickenpox
The blisters (vesicles) that develop as a result of shingles contain virus particles. The virus can be spread through direct contact with the open blisters. If you have not had chickenpox before (usually as a young child), you can catch it from direct contact with:
- the fluid from the blisters of someone who has shingles
- something that has the fluid on it, such as bed sheets or a towel
If you have shingles, you are contagious until the last blister has scabbed over. This will usually occur five to seven days after your symptoms started.
See the Health A-Z topic about Chickenpox for more information about this condition.
Spreading the virus
If you have the shingles rash:
- Do not share towels or flannels.
- Do not go swimming.
- Do not play contact sports.
This will help prevent the virus being passed on to someone who has not had chickenpox.
People to avoid
If you have shingles, avoid:
- women who are pregnant and have not had chickenpox before as they could catch chickenpox from you, which may harm their unborn baby
- people who have a weak immune system (the body’s natural defence system), such as someone with HIV or AIDS
- babies who are less than one month old, unless it is your own baby, in which case your baby should have antibodies (proteins that fight infection) to protect them from the virus
Once your blisters have dried out and scabbed over, you are no longer contagious and you will not need to avoid anyone.
