Chickenpox and Shingles (Varicella-Zoster Virus)

Lots of kids get the chickenpox. I know I did! I was about four years old. It was awful. But now we can learn all kinds of things about the virus called Varicella-Zoster virus, which causes chickenpox and shingles. What is its structure and how does it infect cells? What are the details regarding latency and recurring infection? Let's get a closer look now.

Script by Kellie Vinal

Check out "Is This Wi-Fi Organic?", my book on disarming pseudoscience!

[avia-dawnwalcott]

I’m 24 and have chicken pox. It’s quite uncomfortable. Thanks for sharing this content.

[judgedredd]

Ugh. Got shingles when I was 27. Mine spiraled from my spine and wrapped around my right leg to my inner thigh almost down to my knee. Happened to me when I was in the most stressful time of my life—deployed, uncertain about my future, having early marriage struggles, and fighting to keep my career. Likely what triggered it for me according to some doctors.

[DavidKutzler]

I spent most of my professional career as a certified nurse-midwife. In the mid-1980s, I worked for several years in a large public health hospital that did 1200 to 1500 deliveries per month. During my time there, I knew of at least two pregnant women who died from complications from chicken pox. One died of varicella pneumonia and the other died of varicella menengitis. Pregnancy tends to down regulate the immune system to protect the pregnancy from being rejected by the mother's immune system, which makes chicken pox much more dangerous to pregnant women. This was about ten years before varicella vaccination became available.

[Sublimeoo]

wow i remember being little and being told that having chickenpox young helps prevent shingles later, i didn't realise it was literally the dormant chickenpox that caused it.

[jordanthedove]

I can't help but feel 'fifth disease' should've been at a different place on that list... keep up the good work :)

[LD]

I had chicken pox twice when I was little, once when I was a year old and once when I was five. I got shingles at 18 and still deal with the chronic pain years later. It's pretty awful with a bad immune system.

[weeb_cofi]

I have shingles and im 13 years old, the pain is really unbearable, it affects my breathing..😭😭

[nishantparepalli]

Going thru shingles at 26 had chicken pox when I was 16, my spinal cord nerves are being attacked by the virus constantly giving pinching pain. The shingles itself are not itchy. Going thru 1mg antiviral medication for a week. Currently happening because I am under stress due to moving back to home country after 5 years in usa. The body curses you sometimes...respect it! :)

[kagasaki]

I'm using this video for my Chinese student because this is actually TOEFEL testing material but he says the disease is not common in China so I think watching this will help him better understand the disease and how to answer for testing purposes! Thanks for sharing prof ^_~

[AB-kumy]

Chicken pox twice, aged 8 (not very troublesome) and 32 (when the vesicles were top of the head to soles of feet. Agonising itching). Fun for a child, not for an adult.

[maihan]

Im 33 and live a very healthy and active lifestyle. I got shingles recently. I wouldn’t say I was stressed. I know when I m stressed and anxious however my lifestyle definitely changed which I think triggered my immune system to weaken.
I worked longer hours. My sleep reduced. I switched over to healthy microwaved meals for a month.
Although I didn’t feel stressed it must have been a shock to the system that I couldn’t recognise 😢

[dr.niharikanath]

At present I am suffering from hairfall due to chicken pox please hlp me how to stop it

[jgs]

Caught chicken pox at 37 years old. Not fun at all. That's why I was happy to get the shingles vaccine as soon as I was eligible.

[Raphael-si]

24 and have i have chicken pox, if i heal how do i eliminate it completely so i don’t get Shingles in the future?

[eggZ]

Just before all coronavirus broke out I caught chickenpox off my young son, not realizing I'd never had it as a child. Worst thing ever, the itching was beyond words. My lad shrugged it off after a few days but, man the itching was so bad i couldn't sleep, eat, or anything. Months afterwards I'm still covered in marks everywhere even tho i didn't scratch at it. I'm definitely gonna get shingles vaccine as soon as corona calms down, cos no way do I wanna go thru anything like that again!!

[glennpearson]

Had chickenpox as a kid. I've had two shingles flair-ups - one to the torso, the other to the face. During the second flair up, the doctor told me I was lucky not to lose my vision. To this day, about five years after my second bout of shingles, I have a nagging, tingling sensation that runs from my right temple, through the corner of my right eye and down to my chin. Some days are worse than others, but I can say that SHINGLES SUCK!

[mjallen]

I don’t remember getting chicken pox. I do remember my cousin getting it and he was itchy af and my grandparents had us share a bed so I would get it but I don’t remember getting it at all.

[AstroSpark]

I had chicken pox when I was 11 yrs old glad I got earlier

[applegreen]

I remember having chicken pox at i think 3-6 years old and during that time a scab or blister or whatever it was appeared on the side of my body near the waist and after i was successfully healed it left a small scar there and over time it became a bump of skin that will stay on me forever, still have that scar today

[FabakarryBojang]

Best lecturer we are broaden and up graded