Hi @cnp2313, shingles and chickenpox were considered before as separate disorder but researchers now know that they are cause by a single virus which is the varicella-zoster virus.

Shingles also called herpes zoster is a painful rash and it occurs in people who recently had chickenpox where there is a reactivation of the dormant virus. It often occurs many years after the initial chicken pox infection. It is contagious and may cause chickenpox too. But contact with a person with shingles or chickenpox cannot cause shingles.

Chicken pox on the other hand is is extremely contagious and caused by varicella-zoster virus. It causes fever, headache, stomach ache and breaking out of pox rash which consist of several hundred small, itchy, fluid-filled blisters.
http://z.about.com/f/p/440/graphics/images/en/19655.jpg

In shingles or Herpes Zoster, the varicella virus that causes chicken pox finds its ways to the nerve cells at the dorsal root ganglia. Ganglia or ganglion are bundles or group of nerves that transmit sensory information from the skin to the brain. The virus then hide from the immune system for many years often a lifetime which is called latency.
When this virus becomes active it then causes shingles/herpes zoster.
http://z.about.com/f/p/440/graphics/images/en/19687.jpg

Risk factors for acquiring Shingles

Treatment for shingles:
Use of antiviral medicines like aciclovir orZovirax can be started immediately when there is a burning sensation begins.

Prevention of shingles:
The CDC recommends the shingles vaccine called Zostavax for adults age 60 and older who have healthy immune systems. It is not fro those people younger than 60.

Risk factors for shingles: about 500,000 cases of shingles occur each year in the U.S. Those how had chicken pox has risk for shingles later in life.

Risk factors for chicken pox: between 75-90% of chickenpox cases occur in children below 10 years old. However, there is a vaccine against it.

Shingles and chicken pox are caused by the same virus: varicella zoster. Varicella zoster is a type of herpes virus. When you get chicken pox and you get “better” from it, the varicella zoster virus stays in your body. Later when you're older (commonly over age 40), you're at risk for the virus becoming active again as shingles.

Chicken pox is characterized by itchy sores all over your body with an accompanying fever and fatigue. Shingles is an itchy rash and is more painful than chicken pox. It causes extreme fatigue and can cause permanent nerve damage.

If you've never been vaccinated against varicella zoster, you will likely get chicken pox as a child. Some people get it as adults; it is generally harder on your body if you get it as an adult. If you get chicken pox, your doctor will likely let the disease run its course. If you later develop shingles, you will be treated with prescription antiviral medication to try to prevent long term nerve damage, to shorten the course of the illness and to keep you from getting too sick with it.

There is a vaccine for shingles. It is recommended for anyone who is in the target age range for shingles. Because it is always possible to develop life threatening complications from chicken pox, it is recommended that everyone be vaccinated against it as children now that the vaccine is available.

There isn't really a cure for varicella zoster beyond the vaccines for it.

From WebMD Chicken Pox

-quote
People who have had chickenpox almost always develop lifetime immunity (meaning you can't get it again.) However, the virus remains dormant in the body, and it can reactivate later in life and cause shingles.
-endquote

Hi cnp2312!

Shingles occurs in an older person who has already had the chicken pox virus before. When someone gets the chicken pox, their bodies fights of the virus an basically puts it to sleep. The chicken pox virus can stay dormant forever but on the odd occasion it can be awakened with stress, unwellness and/or a low immune system.

Shingles can not be passed from one person to another but someone who has not had chicken pox before can catch the chicken pox from someone who has shingles.

Chicken pox usually occurs during childhood but again on the odd occasion an adult can get chicken pox. There is no golden rule of thumb when it comes down to when a person gets the chicken pox or if they will ever get shingles.

There is no cure for shingles but it some of the symptoms can be treated. Antiviral medicines and painkillers can be prescribe by a doctor to help with symptom relief and a quicker ending to the shingles experience.

There is a shingles vaccine called Zostavax but it is only recommended for individuals over 60 years old. A shingles vaccine can be organised by a medical practitioner but it does not guarantee shingles will not occur.