People with shingles and a poor immune system

If you have a poor immune system (immunosuppression) and develop shingles, then see your doctor straight away. You will normally be given antiviral medication whatever your age, and will be monitored for complications. People with a poor immune system include:
* People taking high dose steroids. (This means adults taking 40 mg prednisolone (steroid tablets) per day for more than one week in the previous three months. Or, children who have taken steroids within the past three months, equivalent to prednisolone 2 mg/kg per day for at least one week, or 1 mg/kg per day for one month.)
* People on lower doses of steroids in combination with other immunosuppressant drugs.
* People taking anti-arthritis drugs that can affect the bone marrow (for example, adalimumab, anakinra, azathioprine, ciclosporin, cyclophosphamide, etanercept, gold, infliximab, leflunomide, methotrexate, penicillamine, sulfasalazine). * People being treated with chemotherapy or generalised radiotherapy, or who have had these treatments within the past six months.
* People who have had an organ transplant and are on immunosuppressive treatment.
* People who have had a bone marrow transplant and who are still immunosuppressed.
* People with impaired cell immunity (for example, severe combined immune deficiency syndromes, DiGeorge syndrome).
* People who are immunosuppressed with HIV infection.