Shingles (read herpes zoster): It is a painful condition caused by herpes zoster, the same virus that causes chickenpox. Once you had a chickenpox (and many adults have had the disease at the same point in their lives), the virus doesn’t leave your body.

Instead it takes up residence in the nerves near the spine, where it lies dormant, usually for the rest of your life. Sometimes however, herpes zoster is triggered back into activity.

The disease is caused by herpes zoster virus and weakened immune system. The Longman’s dictionary defines shingles as “Shingles is a disease caused by an infection of certain nerves and producing pain red spots often in a band around the waist.” The disease can be treated but it is fatal when neglected. In Uganda, records in the ministry of health indicate that the disease kills over 178 people in a year.

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