Can You Die From Shingles Virus

A chickenpox infection is usually mild.

Can you die from shingles virus.

After you ve had chickenpox the virus lies inactive in nerve tissue near your spinal cord and brain. While it isn t a life threatening condition shingles can be very painful. Shingles is caused by the varicella zoster virus the same virus that causes chickenpox. In the u s about 96 shingles related deaths occur each year and almost all the deaths occur in elderly people or people with suppressed immune system.

People can also develop pneumonia if the virus infects the lungs. In very rare cases shingles can lead to inflammation or swelling in your lungs brain liver or death. However if shingles isn t treated particularly severe cases can lead to death. Some people say that you will die if the band of shingles crosses the midline of the body.

About 30 of people hospitalized for shingles have a weakened or suppressed immune system. This is the virus that causes chickenpox and shingles. People with autoimmune conditions and people over the age of 65 are at a higher risk for shingles complications. Shingles also called herpes zoster is a souvenir of childhood chicken pox infection.

Both are caused by the same virus although it s called varicella when it causes chicken pox. Shingles causes fewer than 100 deaths annually. You should get regular care for shingles so your doctor can check for even these uncommon. Years later the virus may reactivate as shingles.

This does not happen in reality because the virus travels from a nerve root to the skin.