It is most common in adults, especially in those who are 50 or older, although it can be also found in children.
Shingles occurs only in persons who have previously had chickenpox.
The chickenpox virus, varicella zoster, can lie dormant for many years in the nerves of a patient. If the virus is reactivated, it causes shingles. A person who has never had chickenpox can catch the disease from someone with shingles. The patient feels generally unwell, often with a headache, fever, chills, and moderate to severe pain in the area where the infection is active. After three to five days, a red rash appears, which rapidly develops into the clear blisters typical of shingles.