What Causes Shingles?

The infection originates from the same virus that causes chickenpox – called the varicella-zoster virus. 

Even if an individual has been treated and recovered from chickenpox, the varicella-zoster virus can remain dormant in the body for years before reactivating. Once it has reactivated, the virus can travel along the nerve fibres to skin surfaces on the body and cause shingles.