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Shingles (also known as herpes zoster) is an infection of a nerve and the skin around it. It is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. Unlike other infectious diseases, you cannot catch shingles from someone else – not even from someone who has chickenpox.
Most people get chickenpox when they are young. The virus that causes chickenpox can stay in your body for the rest of your life without you knowing it is there. However, it can become active again later in life. It is not clear why this happens, but it’s often linked to a weakened immune system caused by ageing, illness, stress or medication.