by Rosalyn Carson-DeWitt, MD
En Espaol (Spanish Version) A risk factor is something that increases your likelihood of getting a disease or condition.
It is possible to develop shingles with or without the risk factors listed below. However, the more risk factors you have, the greater your likelihood of developing shingles. If you have a number of risk factors, ask your healthcare provider what you can do to reduce your risk.
You can only get shingles if you already had chickenpox, and the dormant virus from your old chickenpox infection becomes reactivated. Since only 20% of people who have had chickenpox eventually develop shingles, researchers are still trying to determine what makes some people more likely to develop shingles than others.
Some of the factors that make people more likely to develop shingles include:
Stress and Fatigue
Excessive emotional and/or physical stress and extreme fatigue may increase your risk of developing shingles.
Medical Conditions
If you have a weakened immune system, you are much more likely to develop shingles. Conditions that increase your risk include:
History of childhood cancer Current cancer, especially Hodgkins disease , lymphoma, and leukemia HIV infection or AIDSMedications and Medical Treatments Certain medical treatments can put you at risk for shingles: Radiation therapy Immunosuppressant drugs (for organ transplants, cancer, and autoimmune diseases) such as: Chemotherapy treatments for cancerSteroid medicationsCyclosporineAzathioprineCyclophosphamideChlorambucilCladribineAgePeople over age 60 are about three times more likely to develop shingles than younger people.Ethnic BackgroundWhites are four times more likely than blacks to develop shingles. References: The American Academy of Dermatologywebsite. Available at: http://www.aad.org/default.htm . Accessed February 21, 2006. Stankus SJ, Dlugopolski M, Packer D. Management of herpes zoster (shingles) and postherpetic neuralgia. Am Fam Physician . 2000;61(8).Available at: http://www.aafp.org/afp/20000415/2437.html. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokewebsite. Available at: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/ . Accessed February 21, 2006.
Last reviewed February 2007 by David Horn, MD, FACPPlease be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
