is shingles rash contagious
Individuals who never have had chickenpox and have not received the vaccine for chickenpox are susceptible to shingles virus infection. Consequently, shingles disease is contagious by transmission of the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) to these individuals.However, the shingles rash is not contagious in that a rash from one individual is unable to spread to another individual.Nevertheless, the disease of shingles can pass the virus from the active rash blisters directly to another individual who can become infected with the varicella-zoster virus.Shingles is, in this manner, contagious.Moreover, because varicella-zoster virus infection is commonly contagious in the form of chickenpox, and this infection can eventually lead to shingles development in some patients, it is fair to say that shingles is indirectly contagious by the spread of chickenpox.hingles is, in this manner, contagious. Moreover, because varicella-zoster virus infection is commonly contagious in the form of chickenpox, and this infection can eventually lead to shingles development in some patients, it is fair to say that shingles is indirectly contagious by the spread of chickenpox.