RE: Huge Increase in SHINGLES at Younger Ages Than Ever Before ... as Chickenpox has Decreased
Luckily, I've never had chicken pox. My brother has never had it, either, and neither has my dad. I've read that some people are naturally immune, and we've always wondered if we are. I saw both my great-grandmother and my mother have painful cases of shingles (my mom had chicken pox as a kid), and know it's a nasty, agonizing thing children should not be subject to.
I taught elementary school for a short time in my mid-20's, and briefly thought about getting the chicken pox vaccine, because I had a cousin who got "the pox" as an adult, and it was pretty bad on her....I read later it's worse in adults who get it. But, I was seeing an acupuncturist at the time who was really anti-vaccine, and she's the one who first turned me on to the anti-vax movement. I decided to not get the vaccine, and when chicken pox came through my classroom, I remained immune and did not get it. So, while I wouldn't want to rub my face on a kid who had chicken pox, I'm not too concerned about getting it, even if I'm standing near one who has it. I'd rather not get the vaccine. It seems like you're taking more of a chance with that than anything.
Good information!
If you ever had your titers tested, you would most likely show up as having the anti-bodies and being immune to chickenpox. Not everybody exposed to it gets all or any of the symptoms. My daughter had full exposure to chickenpox (played several times with a friend who had it) and so I waited until the expected incubation period. Sure enough she got a fever and when I looked closely I found 2 spots that were questionable as to what they were, and that was it -- she got better. If I hadn't known of her chickenpox exposure I would have said that she never had it. Yet I'm sure that she is now immune. The same goes for measles and mumps -- it depends on the state of your body when you get exposure -- sometimes you get full symptoms and sometimes you fight it off easily with few symptoms.
You and your brother were probably carriers of the disease. Most viruses naturally have carriers to help spread the disease.
That might make sense. My husband has always jokingly referred to me as a carrier, because I'm often exposed to certain things, but don't get sick. However, HE does, even if he was never exposed directly....he accuses me of carrying these things back home to him. Maybe he's onto something. Perhaps I'm a natural carrier. Interesting. I wonder what would make a person a carrier, who never actually got what they were carrying.