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RavenCares

Joined: 25-Jul-2007
Posts: 197
Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2007 04:31 am
Post topic: CDC Recommends Shingles Vaccine		  
The CDC (U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention) is recommending that all Americans aged 60 or older receive a vaccine for shingles called Zostavax, which is manufactured by Merck. Although Zostavax prevents shingles, it does not treat shingles or post-herpetic neuralgia (pain after the rash is gone) once it develops. The vaccine was licensed May 25, 2006, by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Shingles is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox and affects people who had chickenpox in childhood. The virus goes dormant, but can re-emerge when the immune system is weakened, which often happens as we get older.
Tags: vaccines , vaccinations , CDC , chickenpox
 
Author Messages

Cheerful

Joined: 14-Aug-2007
Posts: 123
Posted: Sat Sep 15, 2007 08:31 pm
Post topic: CDC Recommends Shingles Vaccine		  
Thanks for sharing, Raven. Iknew there was a chicken pox vaccine but I didn't know they had something for shingles now. Modern advances in medicine are amazing in someways but seem so slow in others. Since they're advising the vaccine for those over 60, I'm guessing that there's ahigh rate of shingles in that age group. I wonder why?
 
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RavenCares

Joined: 25-Jul-2007
Posts: 197
Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 11:14 pm
Post topic: CDC Recommends Shingles Vaccine		  
Hi, Cheerful! The reason that people over 60 are prone to getting shingles is that as we age, our immune systems weaken. When we got chickenpox as children, the virus never left our bodies -- It became dormant or inactive. But as the immune system is weakened or compromised in some way, dormant viruses can reactivate. The end result is shingles, which can be very painful. I think I'm going to get the vaccine for myself in a couple years.
 
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Sissy

Joined: 18-Jul-2007
Posts: 256
Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 08:37 pm
Post topic: CDC Recommends Shingles Vaccine		  
I have heard that it is very painful and contagious. I have never had any experience with it, but have only heard stories. Sissy
 
 
 

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