Shingles (herpes zoster) is a skin rash, typically with blisters, that can cause severe chronic pain. It's caused by the chickenpox (varicella zoster) virus, which can lie dormant within the nerves and reactivate as shingles. The risk of contracting shingles increases with age, starting around age 50, and the risk of complications from shingles rises after age 60.

Shingles vaccination should be considered by people in the following groups:

• Adults aged 60 and older: a single dose of Zostavax, even if they've already had shingles.