The incubation period is the time between contact with a pathogen and the first symptoms of the disease.
The incubation period of shingles
The disease of shingles is always a reactivation of viruses (resurgence of an infection), which persist in the nerves. The viruses are transmitted to a person at the first infection and trigger the childhood disease “chickenpox“. In this case an incubation period of 14 to 16 days is given.
This means that approx. 2 weeks after contact with the infectious viruses, the first symptoms of chickenpox become apparent. After the chickenpox has healed, the viruses remain in the nerve cells of the previously ill person.
They persist here without causing symptoms. Whether and when a new illness is triggered by the herpes zoster virus cannot be predicted. However, it is known that people with a weakened immune system, as well as a lot of stress and sunlight (UV-rays) can trigger a new activation of the virus.
This reactivation leads to shingles. Since it does not concern however a new infection, but only a reactivation, no incubation period can be indicated. It is spoken exclusively of a latency period.
This is the time span between the illness with chickenpox, i.e. the initial infection, and reactivation. This latency period varies from individual to individual and is lifelong for most people, because in immunocompetent individuals, reactivation of the virus, and thus shingles, does not usually occur. There is no incubation period for shingles, only a latency period which is not predictable.
If I had contact with a person during the incubation period of shingles, can I infect them?
The highest risk of infection with shingles is caused by the bloody fluids in the itchy vesicles. Therefore, shingles is a so-called smear infection. Since persons who are still in the incubation period of shingles, i.e. who do not yet show clear symptoms, have not yet developed a vesicle infection, infection in this case is very unlikely. Only after the development of the blisters, which are often scratched open due to the strong itching, should one avoid appropriate physical contact. Especially pregnant women who have not been vaccinated against WIndpox and have not had chickenpox should take appropriate hygiene measures to avoid infection, as this can be dangerous for the child.
All articles in this series: