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My best friend of 69 has shingles. Is she contagious? Can her sitting on my sofa and rub up against a pillow be spreading the virus?
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Hello Anonymous,
Welcome to EmpowHER.
The virus that causes shingles, the varicella zoster virus, can be spread from a person with active shingles to another person who has never had chickenpox. In such cases, the person exposed to the virus might develop chickenpox, but they would not develop shingles.
The virus is spread through direct contact with fluid from the rash blisters caused by shingles.
A person with active shingles can spread the virus when the rash is in the blister-phase. A person is not infectious before the blisters appear. Once the rash has developed crusts, the person is no longer contagious.
Shingles is less contagious than chickenpox and the risk of a person with shingles spreading the virus is low if the rash is covered.
April 13, 2018 - 12:59pmBest,
Susan
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