As we age, the immune system weakens, resulting in older adults being more susceptible to viruses and infections that—in youth—may have been much easier to shake off. Vaccination against seasonal flu, TDaP, hepatitis B, and pneumonia is one way that older adults can protect themselves from an unpleasant illness or—at worst—hospitalization.
Another vaccine that is commonly recommended to adults over 50 is the shingles vaccine. In this Q & A, we explain how shingles develops in the body and why it’s important to receive the vaccine even if you never had chickenpox.
Is the shingles infection related to chickenpox?
Yes, both infections are caused by the varicella zoster (also known as herpes zoster) virus. If you had chickenpox as a child, the varicella zoster virus does not go away, it hangs out in the body. The virus can be reactivated later in life—when the immune system is weaker—by an infection or other stressor. This reactivated virus—shingles— tends to distribute itself on nerve endings and presents as a painful, blistering rash.
Who should get vaccinated against shingles?
The shingles vaccine has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for people aged 50 and older. It is a two-dose vaccine that is recommended for older adults for much of the same reason that a high-dose flu vaccine is recommended for those 65 and older. Our immune system does not fight off viruses and infections as effectively as we age.
A physician may also recommend the vaccine to a younger person if they are severely immunocompromised. People who were vaccinated with the chickenpox vaccine do not often present with shingles.
If you have never had chickenpox, do you need to get the shingles vaccine?
To be quite honest, you do not know that you have never been exposed to chickenpox. For instance, someone who was infected with chickenpox may have had a very mild case—so mild that it was undetected. Additionally, if you have been vaccinated against chickenpox, you might not have optimal levels of protection in your body. This might be because you did not have a robust enough immune reaction to the vaccine when it was first administered.
If you are an adult who was not vaccinated against chickenpox and cannot recall having chickenpox, you should get vaccinated against chickenpox. Chickenpox in adults can cause severe pneumonia or meningitis. Some adults can become quite ill.
And, if you are over 50 or otherwise eligible, you should get the shingles vaccine—even if you have been vaccinated or do not recall getting chickenpox. Nobody wants shingles!