6Risk Factors for Shingles
Anything that weakens the immune system may increase the risk of a shingle outbreak. Common factors include:
– Chronic diseases, such as diabetes or cancer
– Human immunodeficiency virus or HIV: It has been shown that people with this virus may have recurrent outbreaks of shingles
– Being over 50 years old
– Medications or drugs that affects the immune system, such as systemic steroids or chemotherapy
– Going through an organ transplant
Keep in mind that these risk factors are not so different in the elderly and young people, even when shingles is more likely to happen when people age. [6]
