Shingles: could the disease Yolanda Diaz brought to Congress spread?

Recently the second vice-president of the Spanish government, Yolanda Diaz, showed some difficulties in communicating with the press upon arrival at the Congress of Deputies. As he explained, this happened because he suffers from Herpes zoster, which was stated to affect his neck. Days passed since then and he spoke no more about the evolution of this disease; which is actually quite common. But what exactly produces it?

Some media outlets have made reference to the fact that this is a very serious disease. And it’s true that this can happen, but in very extreme cases. It’s normal that it goes away on its own In a few weeks and that it leaves no consequences. Although it is true that in about 10% of cases, so-called postherpetic neuralgia may occur, in which, after the disease has passed, neuropathic pain remains in the area.

This is currently quite common in Spain, but is expected to become less so over the years. In fact, shingles is caused by the same virus as chicken pox, which remains latent after the infection disappears. Reduced defense can awaken you from lethargy, causing the famous culverin which Yolanda Diaz is currently suffering from. Varicella vaccine is currently included in the public health immunization schedule. Consequently, in a few decades there will be practically no tiles.

What is herpes zoster?

When a person has chickenpox, once the symptoms subside and the infection resolves, the virus remains latent in the body. sensory ganglia. It can remain there throughout that person’s life without appearing again.

However, lowering the defense can reactivate it. In this case, it does not cause chickenpox symptoms again, but instead attacks the nerves near one of the ganglia in which it has remained all along, causing strong pain and one acne, formed by multiple blisters. The pain is easy to recognize because, being neuropathic in origin, it is more like a burning or electrical pain. As for blisters, they usually follow the nerve, forming a serpentine structure known colloquially as a culverin.

He often appears in torsoalthough it can be found in other parts of the body, e.g. face or neck. In these last two areas it can cause paralysis, usually temporary. Perhaps this is why Yolanda Diaz had difficulty communicating with journalists.

It is more common in people over 50, especially if they had chickenpox before their first year of life. However, it can appear at any age, as long as chicken pox has not passed before. Conditions such as HIV or taking immunosuppressants They can alleviate the onset of the disease. But also stress, known for weakening the immune system, is a good causative agent for shingles. Considering that Yolanda Diaz had to go through a lot of stress with everything related to the start of the new legislative assembly, it is not at all strange that this is happening to her.

How is this treated?

In general, shingles does not require treatment. Like any viral infection, it usually clears up on its own with action of the immune system. However, in some cases antiviral drugs which speed up the healing process and, when prescribed in the first days of the onset of symptoms, prevent post-herpetic pain.

Could Yolanda Diaz have infected someone in Congress?

We might wonder if Yolanda Diaz was right to show up to the convention with shingles. But he didn’t actually do anything wrong because it’s not necessarily a contagious disease.

For a person with shingles to infect another person, two things must happen. First, other chickenpox hasn’t gone away yet. Something unlikely if they are adults. Secondly, the second person comes into contact with contents of ampoules. Typically, the skin rash is covered. Yolanda Diaz was nowhere to be seen, so she couldn’t infect anyone in Congress just by sitting next to her or even by kissing each other twice or holding hands. These are not ways of infection.