Viral Shingles

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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...

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Shingles/ Viral Load Significance Test

I went to an infectious disease doctor about two months, 8 weeks , after I came down with Shingles and sore throat. He saw how absolutely worried I was, and that my last "possible" exposure to and STD or HIV, was 7 to 8 weeks prior to my...

Response from Robert J. Frascino, M.D.

The Robert James Frascino AIDS Foundation

Hello,Yep, you can stop worrying. Not all cases of shingles are related to HIV. In fact, the great majority are not! I totally agree with your infectious diseases doctor. The 12-week negative ELISA is absolutely conclusive. You do not have HIV. The... Read more »

Shingles & high viral load should I start HIV meds

Hi,I have a high viral load(400,000),CD4 at 359 and have reoccurring shingles.My viral load had been lower so I was not taking HIV meds.I am ready to take HIV meds but shingles recently broke out!Can I start HIV meds for high viral load and shingles...

Response from Mark Holodniy, M.D., F.A.C.P., C.I.C.

Stanford University, School of Medicine

You could do both at the same time.MH... Read more »

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 & Hearing Loss

I have been HIV positive for 1 year, on Atripla viral load is undectable and CD4 at 208. Last week I was diagnosed with shingles all of them are on right side of face however. I am taking Acylovir but this morning I woke up and cannot hear out of...

Response from Keith Henry, M.D.

University of Minnesota, School of Medicine

The initial neurologic symptoms from an acute shingles attack often will reverse over time but they can persist. You may want to keep your HIV specialist informed of the situation and consider an ENT consultation to see if any other process is... Read more »

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cd4 or viral load

Posted by Lilly, 2 Replies

When starting to think about treatment, does either counts (cd4s or viral load) play a bigger role? My viral load has recently dropped, but so has my cd4's. My counts are all still at a comfortable level for me with no meds, but at the clinic... Read more »

Can I get Shingles from another Poz guy if I had ?

Posted by Anonymous, 1 Reply

Can I get shingles from another poz person even if I already had them myself in the past??? Read more »

My sister is HIV+ and has shingles

Posted by Anonymous, 3 Replies

I was just wondering if anyone had experience with HIV and shingles. She's been fighting the shingles now for about 5 months and they'll just start to go away and then come back again. She was very thin for a while, but looked really good and had... Read more »

Shingles

Posted by Anonymous, 3 Replies

Someone told me that shingles is one of the first indications of being HIV positive. I had shingles in 2002, and has felt fine since then. Although I do occassionally get dandruff. I had a dermatologist take a scalp sample and he said it was... Read more »

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