Final answer:
Shingles is an affliction caused by the reactivation of the chickenpox virus (varicella-zoster) which can remain dormant in the body for years. Its symptoms can last from 2-6 weeks, with possible long-term nerve pain (postherpetic neuralgia) as a complication. Antiviral treatments and vaccines can help reduce the severity and prevent outbreaks.
Step-by-step explanation:
The varicella-zoster virus, which causes chickenpox during the initial infection, can remain dormant in nerve cell ganglia for years before potentially reactivating as shingles.
Shingles, unlike chickenpox, is concentrated to a localised area, typically on one side of the body, and can produce a painful rash and blisters. Those with shingles can transmit the virus to individuals who have never had chickenpox, resulting in the primary infection of chickenpox rather than shingles.
Shingles symptoms usually last 2-6 weeks, but complications such as postherpetic neuralgia can cause pain signals from damaged nerves even after the rash subsides.
Treatments like acyclovir can mitigate severity and duration of shingles and reduce the risk of further complications. There are vaccines available to prevent chickenpox and to decrease the likelihood of a shingles outbreak in older adults.