[malawigirl08]

I have been meaning to ask this for a long time, in describing my PN pain I often liken it to Shingles pain but I have natural immunity to the Herpes virus so I don't know if this is the case. Can someone please enlighten me so that I can stop using this description if it is wrong.

[mrsD]

What do you mean? Natural immunity?

If you have titres to the virus, that means you were infected with Chicken pox. That means the virus is living in your dorsal root ganglia. Can activate at any time.

[malawigirl08]

Originally Posted by mrsD

What do you mean? Natural immunity?

If you have titres to the virus, that means you were infected with Chicken pox. That means the virus is living in your dorsal root ganglia. Can activate at any time.

I was in hospital for seven weeks prior to the birth of my daughter and was exposed to Shingles, there was a bit of a panic on in the hospital with so many expectant mums around and we all had to have our blood checked- mines came back fine, medic said I had natural immunity, I am 45 and have never had Chicken Pox, Shingles or Cold Sores.

[mrsD]

I still don't understand what that means?

Any test you would have to see "immunity" would show antibody levels. If these are raised, and show up, that means you were exposed to or had the disease in the past (or a vaccine). Zero Titres would mean you didn't have the disease yet. Titres (antibody levels) can be done for most diseases. They even do them on cats! In cats, repeated distemper vaccinations may lead to kidney failure from autoimmune reactions to the vaccine. In people, kids may be tested to see if they need booster to Tetanus, diptheria, or whooping cough. So those showing high titres in blood work, don't need the boosters yet.

For example, I show very high Zoster (shingle) titres and non-existant Simplex ones. My doctor says, most people test very high for Simplex even when showing no signs. Simplex is the Herpes virus that causes cold sores and genital herpes. My doctor said that my having very low titres to Simplex is very rare. Everyone tests positive just about for Simplex. I don't recall having a cold sore, but most kids are infected by age 3.
One would not recall an early event like that.

Chicken pox and Shingles are the same virus. Shingles is a recurrance in later life, when the immunity to the virus falls. Our immunity to Zoster, keeps it in check but when people get stressed, ill, or on chemo, that immunity can fall, and the virus reactivates.

So I would think if you had immunity that is measurable to Zoster virus, that means you had chicken pox in the past. Some people have mild cases, that are attributable to bug bites, etc.
"Natural immunity" in this country typically refers to having had the disease in the past (this typically is stronger and longer lasting). Artificial immunity is conferred by vaccines. This typically wears off and is weaker.

Sometimes doctors use "familiar" terms when telling patients things. And these terms may vary culturally and be confusing to say the least!

[malawigirl08]

Hi Mrs D you are probably right about the doc dumbing the language down, my antibody levels were high but I can honestly say I have only ever had one Childhood illness and that was German Measles, I haven't even had as much as a cold in the past eight years( I am probably tempting fate putting
that in writing) Anyway is PN pain similar to shingles?

[mrsD]

Yes, most definitely... I just put up a link here about that:

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread152602.html

In fact, Shingles is a major cause of neuropathies!

When I had my shingles, I had few lesions...only down one arm.
When my doctor did the blood work, the results were very high.
She was amazed sooo high in fact. I think my PN and pain issues are linked to that virus...since I have "attacks" and remissions.
This spring on the same week hubby and I both had pain attacks where our shingles presented--his is very different from mine.
And we both hit the Lysine again!