From NHS information.Causes of shinglesMost people have chickenpox in childhood, but after the illness has gone, the varicella-zoster virus remains dormant (inactive) in the nervous system. The immune system keeps the virus in check, but later in life it can be reactivated and cause shingles.It's possible to have shingles more than once, but it's very rare to get it more than twice. It's not known exactly why the shingles virus is reactivated at a later stage in life, but most cases are thought to be caused by having lowered immunity (protection against infections and diseases).This may be the result of:old age – as you age, your immunity may decrease, and shingles most commonly occurs in people over 70 years oldphysical and emotional stress – the chemicals released by your body when you're stressed can prevent your immune system working properlyHIV and AIDS – people with HIV are much more likely to get shingles than the rest of the population because their immune system is weakrecently having a bone marrow transplant – the conditioning you require before the transplant weakens your immune systemrecently having an organ transplant – you may need to take medication to suppress your immune system so your body accepts the donated organchemotherapy – chemotherapy medication, often used to treat cancer, can temporarily weaken your immune systemHowever, young people who appear otherwise healthy can also sometimes develop shingles.
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