shingles and chicken pox

[LucyJones]

My mum has never had chicken pox. How likely is it that she will catch shingles from my nephew who has it? I've heard that you only get shingles if you've had chicken pox but I'm nt sure if that's true. Also is getting chicken pox dangerous when pregnant? TIA

You can't catch shingles - you only get it if you've had chicken pox before - it's a reactivation of the virus. If you've never had chicken pox you could catch chicken pox from someone with shingles. However it's harder to catch chicken pox from someone with shingles than from someone with chicken pox.

Clear as mud, eh? I guess the bottom line is than your mum should avoid the nephew!

If your Mum has never had chicken pox then she might catch chicken pox from your nephew but not shingles. Shingles is the same viruse but only flares up if chicken pox in system. She may find that she has some immunity anyway even though she thinks she never had it. I don;t remember having it and neither to my parents but I had a blood test last year and I have immunity.

And chicken pox is risky in early stages of pregnancy as far as I know.