Chickenpox and shingles are caused by the same virus, but they are separate conditions. Here's how their causes, symptoms, and prevention differ.

Chickenpox Symptoms . The varicella-zoster virus causes chickenpox. The main symptom is a red, itchy rash. This rash typically starts on the chest, back, and face and then spreads to other body parts.

DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m a 56-year-old male who never had the chicken pox. When the first of my children was born, I had blood tests done to see if I’d ever been exposed. I had not, so I received ...

DEAR DR. ROACH: A few months ago, you wrote about the benefits of the shingles vaccine. At 63, I’m one of the 1% who has never had, nor been exposed to, chicken pox. I was tested in 2022 for ...

People who have shingles can also spread chicken pox to others. “People develop shingles all the time, so there’s still potential for exposure,” Murase said. A vaccine is available to ...

Most people contract the varicella zoster virus, or VZV, when they get chickenpox as children. For around a third of these people, this same virus will reactivate years later and cause shingles ...

Shingles is an infection in which the herpes zoster virus resurfaces from a past chicken pox infection. It produces a painful rash on one side of the body, usually around the side of the abdomen ...

DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m a 56-year-old male who never had the chicken pox. When the first of my children was born, I had blood tests done to see if I’d ever been exposed.

DEAR DR. ROACH: A few months ago, you wrote about the benefits of the shingles vaccine. At 63, I’m one of the 1% who has never had, nor been exposed to, chicken pox. I was tested in 2022 for varicella ...

Dear Dr. Roach: A few months ago, you wrote about the benefits of the shingles vaccine.At 63, I’m one of the 1% who has never had, nor been exposed to, chicken pox. I was tested in 2022 for ...

Dear Dr. Roach: A few months ago, you wrote about the benefits of the shingles vaccine.At 63, I’m one of the 1% who has never had, nor been exposed to, chicken pox. I was tested in 2022 for ...