Posted on 10/28/2022 10:02:25 AM PDT by ConservativeMind
Scientists investigating why people who have had shingles are at a higher risk of stroke, now believe the answer lies within lipid vesicles called exosomes that shuttle proteins and genetic information between cells, according to new research.
"Most people know about the painful rash associated with shingles, but they may not know that the risk of stroke is elevated for a year after infection," said Andrew Bubak, Ph.D.
Researchers have found that shingles can also increase the risk of stroke especially for those under age 40 where the shingles vaccine is not typically recommended.
The risk is greatest in people with the rashes on their faces, perhaps due to the proximity to the brain.
To better understand, Bubak and his team began looking more closely at exosomes.
"Exosomes carry pathogenic cargo that can cause thrombosis and inflammation distant from site of actual infection," Bubak said. "That could ultimately lead to a stroke in patients."
Researchers collected plasma samples from 13 patients with shingles and 10 without taken at time of infection and at 3-month follow-ups and exosomes were extracted from the plasma.
The researchers found prothrombotic exosomes which could cause blood clots in those with the infection. They also discovered proinflammatory exosomes that also pose risks for stroke at the 3-month follow-up.
Bubak said the findings suggest that in a subset of people with shingles, the virus may not return to latency or the circulating exosomes that induce a prolonged prothrombotic state may persist even after therapy is done and the rash is gone. He said using antiviral agents longer with the addition of antiplatelet and anti-inflammatory agents could help.
Most physicians are unaware of the connection between shingles and stroke.
"But it's really important and so easily mitigated," Bubak said. "Send them home with antiplatelet agents."
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
Do note if you don’t want to, or can’t go, the doctor route, Omega-3 fats and enzymes such as nattokinase might be helpful, while antioxidants and/or NSAIDs might help with the inflammation.
Shangri-la is one vaccine I would highly recommend.
I had shingles and wouldn’t wish that mess on anybody.
Bad juju.
This is one more reason why getting the shingles vaccine is so important.
Shingrix
For me shingles was like a sunburn, bad rash and having the flu all at the same time for 2 weeks straight.
Took me from Thanksgiving to February of the next year to fully recover.
I had shingles in my left eye. THAT was scary
GREAT JOB!
I haven’t received the shingles vaccination yet. Do you all recommend it? If so, which brand? Thank you.
“Shangri-la”
Ha, Ha...great name for a Shingles vaccine. I’m guessing that autocorrect fixed “Shingrix” for you.
My 31 year old son got a patch on his rib cage. He was so uncomfortable even a shirt touching the patch really hurt him. He visited us and we couldn’t play golf it hurt him so much.
I had one small bout with it when I was in my 30s and it was horrible as you say. It takes forever to fully go away. I got the first vaccine for it, then upgraded to Shingrix when it came out. Thank God for that vaccine.
This is interesting that it can lead to stroke. Whoever would have thought that?
In your eye, or in on the eyelid(s)?
I had it in the eyelids. Annoying, but very little pain.
38 yrs ago I had it in my left shoulder blade area. When I felt an attack starting I just found something to collapse against for a minute until it waned, then went about my business. Went on for a couple weeks, then little blisters appeared on my skin at that location, and then was gone entirely. Never happened again.
I’m not yet in the age range for getting it, but I’d pick the new SHINGRIX vaccine, which has better efficacy.
However, when my wife came down with it, our doctor took pains to touch the sore with her bare hands, which I later found out redoubles one’s own prior immunity, rather like a vaccine.
I demanded to get the shingles vaccine. I am happy for it. people who don’t get vaccines, I don’t understand them at all. There’s no way I want singles. I fought my doctor for four years to get the shingles vaccine because of age. finally he said OK. From what I understand, Shingles suck. Apparently people don’t mind suck.
I believe that Shingrix is the only shingles vaccine available in the USA. It’s a two shot protocol. The 2nd shot is taken 2-6 months after the first. It’s reported to be over 90% effective for at least 5 years.
It’s widely available. I got mine at a local CVS pharmacy.
Of course you should always consult a doctor or pharmacist, or both, before taking Shingrix or any other vaccine.
“In your eye, or in on the eyelid(s)?”
In my eye.
Make sure you know what is in any vaccine before you take it. Do your own homework and make sure it is for you.
I would be very skeptical anymore as to what they are putting into any vazes as Big Pharma is not trustworthy.
vazes is vaxes
Sorry
As per CDC: “Shingrix is the only shingles vaccine available in the USA. It’s a two shot protocol. The 2nd shot is taken 2-6 months after the first. It’s reported to be over 90% effective for at least 5 years.”
3 years ago, my wife, and I got our first Shingrix shot, and the retired Navy RN suggested that only one of us get the second shot at the same time as some people really get hammered with the second dose.
My wife opted out, and I got my second shot and got hammered. I may have been an early Covid 19 patient with the classic side effects I had. CoVid was not a known at that time.
Basically, Thanksgiving and Christmas were wiped out for me. Our PPO got me in for a cardiac stent. I was put on 2 RX blood thinners and baby aspirins per day. If I actually had Covid, those blood thinners and a new CPap machine might have saved this 81 year old at that time.
Later in January of the next year, we got our 2 Covid/Pfizer shots. I and a good friend ended up with classic Shingle reactions I had the red rings around my Covid injection site. He had the classic rash on his abodimum. Then, after a couple days later, both of us cleared up. The Shingrix apparently worked for both us, and we had mild shingles.
Since then, zero Covid boosters shots for both of us and zero extra shingles shot for my wife.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.