Are Shingles An Early Sign Of HIV

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Get the Facts

Herpes Zoster (Shingles)

What Is Shingles? Shingles is a very painful disease caused by the same herpes virus that causes chicken pox (varicella zoster virus). Like other herpes viruses, the varicella-zoster virus has an initial infectious stage, (chicken pox) followed by a dormant stage. Then, with no warning, the virus becomes active again. About 20% of people who have had chicken pox will eventually develop shingles. This reactivation of the virus is most likely to...

Ask the Experts

Shingles Starting Treatment & Queen Issues (SHINGLES AND HIV, 2009) (WHEN TO START ANTIRETROVIRAL TREATMENT, 2009)

Hi Dr Bob, Three weeks ago I came down with Shingles. A small patch on the back of my neck and a little across my chest all on the left side. I went to my local GP and he gave me Valtrex ( the 7 day shingle pack)Since then the pain has...

Response from Robert J. Frascino, M.D.

The Robert James Frascino AIDS Foundation

G'day Aussie Drew,Relax mate! Approximately 95% of healthy adults are seropositive for varicella zoster virus (VZV), the virus that causes shingles. Of this 95%, about 5% of healthy adults develop zoster (shingles). The risk for those of us... Read more »

Shingles and HIV

I wanted to confirm something. I see people saying that Shingles is a common early symptom of HIV infection. I had shingles a couple years ago (39 yrs old at the time) and my doctor said the same thing to me. I had been tested for HIV a few years...

Response from Robert J. Frascino, M.D.

The Robert James Frascino AIDS Foundation

Hi,Hmm . . . so let me get this straight. You had a bout of shingles three years ago and your doctor advised you shingles was a common early sign of HIV infection. So rather than test for HIV, you decided just to sit around and wait to see if you... Read more »

Shingles=HIV ? (SHINGLES, 2009)

Hi,i'm 24 and was diagnosed w/ shingles after I developed a small circular rash on my shoulder. I got tested for HIV the same day but I feel like these are longest 2 weeks of my life. I haven't been sick nor have I had any abnormal female...

Response from Robert J. Frascino, M.D.

The Robert James Frascino AIDS Foundation

Hello,Does a routine case of shingles mean HIV??? No. A routine case of shingles means a routine case of shingles and nothing more. See below.Dr. Bobplease dr bob.. 3rd time askin.. am i still freakin or hiv? (SHINGLES)Feb 20, 2008 dr bob.. i have... Read more »

Hiv and Shingles (SHINGLES)

Hi Dr Bob,This site has to be the most humerous HIV site in the world - very refreshing. Anyway, here's my story. 6 months ago I made the biggest, drunken mistake of my life and had protected (condom), vaginal sex with a sex worker in a...

Response from Robert J. Frascino, M.D.

The Robert James Frascino AIDS Foundation

Hi Very Worried Young Man, (SHINGLES)This type of shingles question comes up so frequently it's become a QTND (Question That Never Dies) and now has an ATNC (Answer That Never Changes). See below. Your worries are unwarranted. However, your... Read more »

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Connect With Others

Early signs of HIV infection - article in Genre

Posted by ScotCharles, 2 Replies

Genre magazine has an excellent article in the April 2006 issue on the early signs of HIV infection. Check it out. Read more »

Salivary Gland Infection - Early Sign of HIV ?

Posted by Anonymous, 1 Reply

Has anyone ever heard of a salivary gland infection being an early
sign ( 7-10 weeks after oral exposure ) of HIV ? Read more »

nodule on Parotid Papillae early sign of HIV?

Posted by Anonymous, 1 Reply

Hello people,

First i'd like to say that The Body is a great site and i think it has many visitors from outside the US. So do i from Holland.

I'm suffering whith the following problem:

In august 2001 I have had protected oral and latex protected... Read more »

Early signs of HIV infection

Posted by ScotCharles

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000603.htm Read more »

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