Can a Flu shot lead to Shingles?

I would like to add something for everyones information, I just did a Google search by typing in "Can a flu shot cause a shingles outbreak" and a most unusual article came up, apparently the CDC at the beginning of last year released a public health report for Doctors and Public Health officials which stated that they recommend that all older adults receive a Shingles Vaccine. This vaccine is made by the huge pharmaceutical company Merck and it cost $150.00 per shot and it needs to be renewed every few years. Call me paranoid if you want, but doesn't it seem strange that people who received a flu shot this year are now reporting out breaks of shingles, this after the CDC recommended that all baby boomer's receive a $150.00 annual Shingles vaccine from a company they have dealings with on a regular bases?, by the way MERCK also produces most of the yearly Flu Vaccines.

I'm a 54 year old male and I was lead to this site while doing a search about a recent outbreak of Shingles I developed after getting a Flu shot. I would like everyone to know that I have have also developed a case of shingles after getting my annual flu shot 2 weeks ago, it started out as a sever lower back pain and then progressed down the left side of my left leg(Same side I received the shot in), the surface of of the skin on my left upper and lower leg feels itchy and now it feels like its on fire and is sore to the touch. And yes I know what a case of shingles feels like because I had one outbreak before and it is the same (Severe lower Back pain then the tingling feeling skin then burning pain and sometimes small painful blisters).

Hi
I just wanted to comment on this thread. I got a flu shot while at work in Oct 2006. I was healthy and I thought since it was free why not.
Before this; I never really never took part in getting a yearly flu shot.
I'm in my forties, and never gave shingles a thought.
In July of 2007, I returned from a two week vacation, and got back to work. A week back at work, and I felt like I was getting an earache or ear infection, so I went to the company doctor for help. I was informed that I had shingles and had to start antiviral meds.
In retrospect, after reading this thread, I thought maybe the flu shot in 2006 brought out the dormant chicken pox virus and it didn't affect me until later. I don't know for sure and the doctor told me that shingles are caused by stress, weather change, etc... But I still believe that flu shot had something to do with it.

I just googled "flu vaccine shingles". I had shingles about 10 years ago. I noticed the rash right away as looking like chicken pox and was at the doctors the following day. It was typical of shingles in that it had the rash, was limited to one side and seemed to follow a nerve. I had what I would determine a mild case. I had very little lingering pain and it lasted a short while.

In November of this year I received the flu shot - I normally don't get it but it was free and being offered at a place I volunteer so I got it. A few weeks later I felt a "stinging" and itching in the middle of my back. I thought something had bitten me. Since then I have felt this stinging and/or itching off and on. There are few raised bumps to the touch but no rash. About a month ago I commented to my husband that it felt like when I had shingles, but figured even if it was I had it too long to do anything about it other than wait it out. Today it is not itching so much as stinging - like shooting pains. This feels worse than when I had shingles. It is across my back around where my bra is, it is on both sides, it has lasted longer than my shingles episode and is more painful, but no rash.

Hi,

I run a UK based health website and have just responded to a query about usage statistics over the festive period. Interestingly, there was a 51% increase in viewings of articles about shingles on our site. Also a 295% increased interest in 'flu' and 'flu like illness'. It is true that there is no scientific evidence for any link between flu vaccination and re-activation of herpes zoster as shingles. However, it is well known that shingles is more likely to be re-activated in someone whose immune system is (severely) challenged. Take a look a look at this article - it's about the only discussion I can find for any hypothetical connection -> http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11103441?ordinalpos=298&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

As I say, it's an interesting hypothesis, but there is currently no scientific evidence.

Hope that helps,

Gordon

Hey everyone, we had also checked with the American Lung Association to bring it to their attention and to see what they had to say... A representative shared this response:

"There is no evidence or link that I can find that would connect the influenza vaccine to an outbreak of shingles. I think this might be nothing more than bad timing. We hear from people who swear that they got the flu from the flu vaccine, even though this is not possible. What usually happens is that they were just unfortunate enough to either be exposed before their immunity was obtained from the flu shot (it can take 2 weeks), or they simply contracted a strain of the flu that was not covered in the vaccine. This may be similar for those who come down with shingles after the flu vaccine. If this happened to me, it would make me wonder if the two were related. I would encourage these people to report this to the FDA’s Consumer Complaint Coordinators for the state they live in: http://www.fda.gov/opacom/backgrounders/complain.html. This is also a good time to talk about the Shingles vaccine. This vaccine is approved for people over age 60, and is shown to reduce the risk of shingles by 50% in this population: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/downloads/vis-shingles.pdf. Although most of us gained immunity during childhood with chickenpox, the resistance may fade as we get older. Not everyone should have this vaccine, so it is important to talk to your physician about this. I hope this information helps."

I got the flu shot on Friday (Dec. 19, 2008). I woke up Sunday (Dec. 21, 2008) with pain and tingling in my face, scalp, ear and eye (all on the right side only, stopping at the midline). I had shingles as a teenager, so I knew the symptoms. This morning (Dec. 22, 2008) my doctor prescribed Valtrex, and I hope it is not too late to lessen the severity of the outbreak. I am a healthy 56 year old female and I was very well when I received the flu shot.

I received a flu shot on November 25 and by November 29 had started to develop a rash. Saw my doctor on December 2 and was diagnosed with shingles. I am 45 and had chicken pox as a kid. I was tired and a little run down/stressed before the vaccine, possibly making me more likely to have a reaction.

My doctor said that the vaccine would not cause shingles (as I know), however it could cause your immune system to react to such a degree that it would stress it and therefore have shingles develop.

She prescribed an antiviral medication because she said that if you don't treat it you can have long term lingering effects. She cited a patient that had it 20 years ago and still can't wear a bra because of the nerve pain. She also said she has seen shingles in teenagers, adults and the elderly.

Hey all, we alerted the Centers for Disease Control to this post and similar posts about the flu shot and shingles on Thanksgiving. One of their doctors, Carolyn Bridges, MD returned a statement in less than a week and here's what she had to say:

"Influenza vaccines contain either inactivated or killed virus or they contain a weakened form of influenza virus. Thus, they cannot cause shingles. Shingles is caused by the reactivation of the virus that causes chicken pox. Shingles is relatively common so it is possible that some cases of shingles may occur around the time of influenza vaccination, but that would be coincidental. There is no evidence that influenza vaccination leads to shingles. Influenza and shingles are caused by very different viruses."

For more information, visit

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/shingles/default.htm

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/