Can You Die From Shingles Virus

While it isn t a life threatening condition shingles can be very painful.

Can you die from shingles virus.

You should get regular care for shingles so your doctor can check for even these uncommon. Shingles also called herpes zoster is a souvenir of childhood chicken pox infection. Shingles is caused by the varicella zoster virus the same virus that causes chickenpox. Years later the virus may reactivate as shingles.

Some people say that you will die if the band of shingles crosses the midline of the body. Almost all shingles deaths are in elderly or people with compromised immune system. But the virus can progress and cause potentially life threatening complications like pneumonia or. Both are caused by the same virus although it s called varicella when it causes chicken pox.

This does not happen in reality because the virus travels from a nerve root to the skin. People can also develop pneumonia if the virus infects the lungs. About 30 of people hospitalized for shingles have a weakened or suppressed immune system. A chickenpox infection is usually mild.

The shingles virus can spread to the internal organs resulting in a condition called internal shingles. However if shingles isn t treated particularly severe cases can lead to death. In the u s about 96 shingles related deaths occur each year and almost all the deaths occur in elderly people or people with suppressed immune system. This is the virus that causes chickenpox and shingles.

Shingles causes fewer than 100 deaths annually.