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Liver transplant recipients can get shingles. Shingles which is caused by Varicella zoster, the virus responsible for chicken pox. Following chicken pox infection the virus can lie dormant in nerve endings for many years. Shingles requires prompt treatment in immunosuppressed individuals. Treatment can be given orally in the form of Aciclovir, if however the shingles rash does not respond to this then Intra-venous Aciclovir should be administered. The painful rash usually clears up after 2-3 weeks however the area affected may remain painful and sensitive for some time after a shingles outbreak.

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11y ago
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15y ago

Kidney transplant patients are at greater-than-normal risk for contracting shingles. I fear, however, that this question may be based on a bad assumption. You don't "catch" shingles. Let me explain... Shingles or herpes zoster as it is known by doctors, is a syndrome caused by a re-activation of the varicella-zoster virus (VZV). This is the exact same virus that causes chickenpox. VZV is a herpes virus, and just like other herpes viruses, it has a peculiar characteristic: after the initial infection is over, it remains in the body, quietly living forever in the nervous system. It generally causes no further problems. Unless, that is, due to illness, stress, or immune compromise (like that occurring due to anti-organ-rejection drugs used in kidney transplant patients) it comes out of hibernation and re-activates. The virus comes out of a part of the nervous system called the dorsal root ganglion and travels down that single nerve root to the skin surface, where it causes the characteristic eruption of shingles. So, you see, the person didn't catch shingles, they actually caught chickenpox - years and years before. A word of caution: there are viral particles in the sores of shingles, so anyone who is not immune to chickenpox (either through immunization or past infection) is at risk of catching chickenpox from the shingles patient.

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9y ago

Kidney transplant patients can receive the shingles vaccine BEFORE they get their transplant, but should not receive it at any time AFTER they receive the transplant.

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Q: Can kidney transplant patients catch shingles?
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Related questions

Can a kidney transplant person catch the flu?

yes, anyone can get the flu.


Can you catch shingles from other children who have shingles?

No. While you can catch chickenpox, shingles comes from a virus already within you (chickenpox virus) so you can only have shingles if you have previously had chickenpox. I myself had shingles back when I was in the fourth grade but neither my brother nor my sister ever had it.


Can you spread shingles if you touch inanimate objects?

You can't catch shingles. Shingles is caused by the organism that gave you chickenpox as a child.


Can cats catch shingles from humans?

Shingles is a human disease that is caused by chicken pox that remains dormant until something like stress brings it out. It is unlikely that a human can pass it to a pet.


Are shingles catchy?

No. You can however catch chickenpox from the shingles if you've never had them before. The shingles themselves come from a dormant chickenpox virus in your skin tissue.


What can you catch from a blood transplant?

At times, when they give you infected blood, you can get AIDS.


Is shingles a risk factor to others?

I had Shingles. And i gave my brother the chicken pocks Others around you can catch shingles or chicken poxs off you about a week before your rash comes up and a week after the first sign of shingles appears on the skin.


Can you get shingles from someone sitting next to you?

You can get chickenpox, but not shingles, from someone with shingles. You can only get chickenpox from someone with shingles if you haven't had chickenpox or the vaccine before, and if you have direct contact with wet shingles blisters or sores.


How long after being exposed to shingles will you get it?

IF you're going to get chickenpox from a shingles exposure, it would take between 10 and 21 days to get chickenpox. You'd have to never have had chickenpox before to get shingles, however, even if you'd never had chickenpox, you still might not catch them from being exposed to shingles.


Can you catch shingles from kissing?

Yes and no. Shingles is herpes zoster virus. The symptoms develop in people who have had chicken pox before. If you haven't had chicken pox you may develop it when exposed to shingles. If you have had chicken pox it can trigger shingles. It is infectious only when the blisters are forming and 'weeping'. Therefore it is spread through physical contact. It is no longer infectious when the blisters are dry scabs. It is not airborne but a mask and gloves are worn by healthcare workers to protect them from contacting the skin of active patients.


Can shingles be transferred from one part of the body to another by touch?

The herpes zoster virus is readily transmitted by touch from person to person, or from contacted objects. However, not everyone exposed will get shingles. Exposure to chickenpox as a child can lead to a delayed outbreak of shingles as an adult.


Can your rabbit catch shingles?

No, rabbits can't catch shingles (herpes zoster). However, there are many things that can cause skin problems and fur loss in rabbits (like parasites, fungus, bacteria, chronic wetness, fighting). See the link below for detailed information.