Shingles: Hidden threat among Cebuanos aged 50-above

An infectious disease expert has warned Cebuanos aged 50 and above on Sunday about serious risks of shingles or herpes zoster or "likos-likos" in Cebuano.

Dr. Shayne Julieane Morales, a Cebu-based specialist in internal medicine focusing on adult infectious diseases emphasized that there is a high risk of having a stroke and heart attack in the first week of suffering from shingles.

She said it usually affects one of every three adults over 50. Its hallmark symptom is a painful rash that can cause sharp, shooting nerve pain, which may persist for months or even years. Its characteristic is watery and fluid-filled rash.

Morales cited 64 percent of the patients with shingles expressed that it had a bad impact on their sleep.

Shingles also affects their general activities, mood, work, relation with others and walking abilities.

“Shingles is more than just a rash. It impacts our daily life... it doesn’t just end up being just a rash. It’s impact to our times is really big,” Morales stressed.

“There is no immunity to shingles. Unlike chickenpox that you have once in your lifetime, shingles can reactivate as often,” she added.

There are 18.9 million Filipinos aged 50 and above, who are at increased risk of having shingles. More than 90 percent of adults carry the latent or “sleeping virus,” and 1 in 3 adults will develop shingles in their lifetime.

Cebu’s aging population and increasing cases of chronic illnesses make this a pressing health concern.

Local data underscores the urgency of the issue.

The Cebu City Health Department says that hypertension cases have surged from 1,098 in early 2023 to 2,901 in the first quarter of 2024. This spike means more Cebuanos are vulnerable to the severe complications should they have shingles.

“For seniors and those with chronic conditions, the risk is even higher,” Morales said.

Studies show that individuals with hypertension who develop shingles face a 60 percent higher risk of heart attack or stroke.