Can You Die From Shingles Virus

While it isn t a life threatening condition shingles can be very painful.

Can you die from shingles virus.

This is the virus that causes chickenpox and shingles. After you ve had chickenpox the virus lies inactive in nerve tissue near your spinal cord and brain. However if shingles isn t treated particularly severe cases can lead to death. A chickenpox infection is usually mild.

But the virus can progress and cause potentially life threatening complications like pneumonia or. In the u s about 96 shingles related deaths occur each year and almost all the deaths occur in elderly people or people with suppressed immune system. Shingles is caused by the varicella zoster virus the same virus that causes chickenpox. Years later the virus may reactivate as shingles.

Shingles also called herpes zoster is a souvenir of childhood chicken pox infection. This does not happen in reality because the virus travels from a nerve root to the skin. The shingles virus can spread to the internal organs resulting in a condition called internal shingles. People can also develop pneumonia if the virus infects the lungs.

Shingles causes fewer than 100 deaths annually. In very rare cases shingles can lead to inflammation or swelling in your lungs brain liver or death. People with autoimmune conditions and people over the age of 65 are at a higher risk for shingles complications. Some people say that you will die if the band of shingles crosses the midline of the body.

Almost all shingles deaths are in elderly or people with compromised immune system.