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I've heard a theory that since the chickenpox vaccine for kids, natural exposure to the virus in the wild is way down, and our immune systems are more likely to
by modeless 11mo ago
I've heard a theory that since the chickenpox vaccine for kids, natural exposure to the virus in the wild is way down, and our immune systems are more likely to forget about it. Not specific to men of course, but a possible explanation for an increase in shingles generally.
- square_usual 11mo agoThere's been a few studies that found increase in shingles as the chicken pox vaccine became more widespread in the US, actually. With the usual caveat that correlation is not causation.
- Izikiel43 11mo agoHow was the study done? If the vaccine became available in the 90s, and it was given to kids mostly, those people are 40 at most now, so how is the increase in shingles measured? More cases when younger? More older people getting it? Thinking about it within this context doesn't make much sense.
- modeless 11mo agoThe increase in shingles is in people who weren't vaccinated as kids. People who were vaccinated as kids and never got infected don't get shingles at all AFAIK.
- Izikiel43 11mo agoOk. So this is why earlier in the thread they said, less wild chicken pox, more shingles, because immune system goes stupid as there is no wild chicken pox? I had chicken pox as a kid, the vaccine became available in my country in 98, several years after, so it seems I'm screwed for shingles.