Remember that South Park episode in which the mothers of the boys decide to send Stan, Kyle, and Cartman to Kenny’s house because he has chicken pox. Your science teachers probably said something to the effect of getting chicken pox early so that you didn’t get it later on in life. Well, they weren’t exactly telling you the truth. Chicken pox is caused by a Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV), which gives you the well known symptoms but this virus is never removed from the body and usually becomes latent in your nerve cell bodies, where it can stay for years and decades, without causing any symptoms.  Under certain conditions, however, this virus can become ‘reactivated’ and cause Herpes Zoster, or more commonly known as Shingles.

That is the problem with viruses. Your body usually can not fully eliminate them and after causing the first infection they can stay in your body for long periods of time. As soon as these viruses see a window of opportunity they become active again. In case of VZV, it can become reactivated in immunocompromised people. Your immune system can be weak because of various things such as stress, aging, infection with HIV, and/or cancer.  So, if you see any of the symptoms below, make sure you immediately get an HIV test. Read more »