Question Chickenpox
April 29, 2012 | 15,00 EUR | answered by Dr. med. Kathrin Hamann
Hello,
Unfortunately, both my parents and I do not know if I had chickenpox as a child. My mother has shingles, and we know that if an adult has not had chickenpox, they can catch it from shingles and then develop chickenpox.
My question is, does cold sores, for example, belong to the chickenpox family? My husband often has cold sores, and I even kiss him when he has them, but I never get infected and I have never had a cold sore myself. Does this mean that I may have the virus (chickenpox virus) in me and therefore cannot be infected, or is there no connection between the two?
Best regards
Good evening,
The viruses of lip herpes (Herpes simplex type 1 = HSV1) and the viruses of chickenpox/shingles (Herpes zoster viruses) are not identical, but they come from the same group, the herpes viruses.
You can easily have your HZV (Herpes zoster virus) antigen titer determined to know if you have already had immunizing contact with this virus.
You can become infected with a "blooming" shingles if you have not had contact with the HZV yet. However, only if you come into direct contact with the content of the shingles blisters. If your mother applies Anaesthesulf lotion to the areas, which dries out the blisters, and if you wear clothing over the areas, then the risk of infection is very low.
But your question, if lip herpes and chickenpox viruses belong to the same group, then that is correct. However, a past HZV infection cannot prevent an infection with HSV1.
All the best,
Dr. K. Hamann
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