ScruffyGuy

Shingles itself is not contagious. However, this is the same virus that causes chicken pox. An individual who has NOT ever had chicken pox CAN contract chicken pox from a person who has shingles IF the blisters are broken and skin to skin contact with the infected liquid occurs.

A person must have the chicken pox virus in their body in order to get shingles. It works likes this: you get chicken pox, it goes away. The virus remains inactive and dormant in your body. The virus is reactivated at some point in life (stress, other diseases, injury, whatever). The virus creates the condition of shingles. Shingles goes away eventually. The virus remains in your body in a dormant state. Usually this is the LAST time it ever bothers you, though in VERY RARE exceptions it can cause more problems later.

So... you MUST have the virus ALREADY DORMANT within your body to get shingles. And a person with shingles can ONLY transmit the virus to someone who has NEVER had chicken pox before. THAT person would get chicken pox, NOT shingles.

Therefore, it is proper and polite to be concerned with the safety of others since the virus CAN be transmitted -- even if the resulting illness would be different.

If the rash has healed and there are no more weeping blisters -- you are no longer contagious. If you DO have weeping blisters -- it would be polite to keep your skin covered.

Hope that info helps.

Also, one more thing... being a young person, you will probably recover very quickly from shingles. But do be aware -- peripheral nerve pain, tingling and twitching sensations can often last for a few years after the disease has ended. This is normal and will not cause permanent damage. But since you are very young -- probably the after-effects of shingles will be minimal or possibly not even noticeable at all. Just didn't want you to worry if you feel some nerves tingling in six months from now -- that's to be expected. You will NOT be in severe pain -- you'll just feel some tingling and at the most, minor discomfort which will be sporadic at best.

It's "good" you got this out of the way early in life. Shingles can be MUCH worse for older adults.

Have a good trip.