If you’re an adult over age 30, there is a greater than 95 percent chance you had chickenpox as a child and therefore are unlikely to suffer its itchy wrath again. However, that doesn’t mean you’re safe from the varicella-zoster (shingles) virus that caused chickenpox.

That’s because the virus never completely leaves the body. It settles in the nerve roots and may reactivate in the form of shingles which can be painful and even debilitating effects in some older adults. Pain, numbness, tingling and/or itching may come first but when the migrating virus finally reaches the skin (usually two or five days after the first symptoms) a blistery, red rash erupts.

Researchers aren’t sure exactly what triggers the virus to spontaneously start reproducing in nerve cells later and reappear as shingles. However, they do know the virus may reactivate when the immune system is weakened by age, stress, an infection, a disease like cancer or AIDS or medications such as chemotherapy, steroids and drugs used to treat arthritis or prevent organ rejection. Sometimes, even a seemingly minor physical stress – a sunburn, for instance – can bring on an attack.

Human immunity peaks at about age 30 and declines with aging. People 60 years old or older are at the greatest risk of developing shingles and, in fact, account for more than 50 percent of the million cases of shingles that occur each year in the U.S. Fortunately, there’s a vaccine on the market that significantly reduces the risk of developing this disease.

The treatment of shingles is most effective when it is started early before the rash spreads. The vaccine is an effort to help prevent the shingles from occuring.

The vaccine, Zostavax, first became available in the U.S. in May 2006 after a study of more than 38,500 men and women ages 60 and older showed that it can be effective in preventing shingles. Furthermore, vaccine recipients who did get shingles after receiving the vaccine experienced much milder episodes than those who were not vaccinated.

Some other reasons for getting the shingles vaccine:

n Shingles can reoccur. Although many people have only one attack of shingles, a number of people will have subsequent attacks.

n For about one in five people, severe pain – post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN) – may persist after the shingles rash clears up. PHN can inflict very severe pain. This pain is persistent and difficult to treat. It can interfere with one’s lifestyle and activities.

n In rare cases, shingles can lead to blindness, pneumonia, hearing problems, brain inflammation or even death. An outbreak on the face, nose or ear is particularly worrisome.

Keep in mind that people who have had chickenpox cannot “catch” shingles from someone with an active case of shingles.

The older a person is the more severe the effects of shingles. That’s why Medicare, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Medical Association are among the many agencies and organizations urging adults 60 years old or older to get the shingles vaccine. Also, because people in their 50s account for one in every seven cases of shingles, some physicians are administering the vaccine to those younger than 60.

Follow-up studies are underway to determine how long the vaccine remains effective and whether a booster shot is necessary. It’s also important to note that the vaccine is not recommended for certain people, including those who are immuno-compromised. To decide whether you would benefit from the shingles vaccine, please consult with your physician.

Steven F. Scholle, M.D., Ph.D. practices Family Medicine, Dermatology and in addition has the Medi WeightLoss program in his office. The office is in the Key Estero Center at 1661 Estero Blvd., Suite #1, on Fort Myers Beach. For more information, please call 239-765-0007.