On the occasion of shingles awareness week, GSK France reveals the results of its survey carried out by Ipsos on the knowledge and perception of shingles by the general public.
A virus responsible for 2 clinical entities
Shingles is an infection linked to the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), a virus responsible for 2 clinical entities: chickenpox and shingles. If you have had chickenpox, you are at risk of developing shingles. Approximately 90% of the population harbors VZV in a nerve ganglion.
The main risk factors
The virus reaction is seen in about 1 in 3 of these people. The main risk factors for shingles are age (increase in cases from the age of 50) or when the immune system is weakened (overwork, fatigue, stress, illness).
The risk of transmission
A person with shingles cannot transmit shingles (or chickenpox) to someone who has already had chickenpox, because shingles is a resurgence of the virus already present in the body. On the other hand, a person with shingles can transmit chickenpox to someone who has not had it.
The urgency of educating the general public
In the vast majority of cases, people affected by shingles will only experience one episode during their life, but in 1% of cases, one or more other episodes may occur. This survey highlights the urgency of educating the general public about this particularly painful disease which increases in frequency with age.
 Didier Galibert
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04/03/2024 | 
