Having a close relative who has had a bout with shingles
puts people at a heightened risk of suffering a similar outbreak, a new study
finds.
A herpes virus called varicella zoster causes shingles and
chickenpox. Since nearly everyone in the United States over age 25 has been exposed
to the chickenpox virus, much of the population is at risk for shingles, which
strikes in middle age and beyond.
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