Risk Factors for Shingles

You can only get shingles if you already had chickenpox and the dormant virus from the 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:

Conditions

If you have a weakened immune system, you are more likely to develop shingles. Conditions that increase your risk include:

History of childhood cancer
Current cancer, especially Hodgkin’s disease , lymphoma, and leukemia
HIV infection or AIDS
Diabetes

Medications and Procedures

Certain procedures and medicines may increase your risk, such as:

Radiation therapy
Chemotherapy
Steroid medicines
Medicines to suppress the immune system (eg, cyclosporine, azathioprine)

Age

People over age 60 are more likely to develop shingles than younger people.

Ethnic Background

Caucasian people are more likely than African Americans to develop shingles.

References

Shingles. Family Doctor.org website. Available at: http://familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/diseases-conditions/shingles.html . Updated January 2011. Accessed September 7, 2012.

Shingles (herpes zoster). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/shingles/about/overview.html . Updated January 10, 2011. Accessed September 7, 2012.

Revision Information

Reviewer: Peter Lucas, MD
Review Date: 09/2012
Update Date: 00/91/2012

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.