The same virus that causes chickenpox causes shingles, a disease that affects nerves and causes pain and blisters in adults. After you recover from chickenpox, the virus doesn't leave your body; rather it continues to live in some nerve cells.
Most adults live with the virus in their body and never get shingles. For reasons that aren't totally understood, the virus can become active and cause shingles. About one in five people who have had chickenpox will get shingles later in life – usually after age 50. For more information, visit Shingles: http://www.extension.org/pages/Shingles
