Question: I have shingles, but my boyfriend has never had chickenpox. We're in our teens and I'm worried about him getting chickenpox because we're always in contact. What should we do?

Answer: You are correct to be concerned. Shingles is a reactivation of chickenpox in a person who previously had the illness and it is contagious. In shingles, painful and sometimes itchy blisters appear in a limited distribution, called a dermatome. The chickenpox virus ("herpes zoster") can be excreted from these blisters and give chickenpox ("varicella") to a susceptible individual.

Some people are immune to chickenpox because they have either had a silent or asymptomatic infection in the past or they have received varicella vaccine. Your boyfriend could check with his health care provider to find out if he has ever received the vaccine, or he could have a blood test to find out whether he is immune. Giving him vaccine now might help protect him in the event your shingles last a long time. In the meantime, he should avoid contact with your skin rash.

It would be wise for your boyfriend to be on the alert for early signs of chickenpox, such as small itchy blisters, fever or sore throat. The incubation period from exposure is two to three weeks.

At any indication of chickenpox, he should avoid contact with others who might be susceptible. He could also consult his doctor to obtain medication to shorten and reduce the severity of his illness, but the medication is only effective if given early in the course of the illness.

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