“The Shingles Virus May Be Aging You More Quickly”

David Cox, writing at WIRED:

Evidence suggests reactivations of the varicella-zoster virus may accelerate aging and raise dementia risk. Now scientists want to know if vaccines and antivirals could help protect the brain.

This is a fascinating article about how the shingles vaccine might be much more beneficial than most of us think. I signed up to get mine soon after a friend got shingles in his eye, which I had never heard of. It permanently affected his vision, and was quite a fight to get under control. I couldn’t immediately get the vaccine—they only give it to people over 50, and I wasn’t quite that age at the time—but have now gotten it. This article suggests that the age guidance needs to be revisited, and there are benefits to getting it earlier in life.

The Shingles Virus May Be Aging You More Quickly

Evidence suggests reactivations of the varicella-zoster virus may accelerate aging and raise dementia risk. Now scientists want to know if vaccines and antivirals could help protect the brain.

www.wired.com