Can't get immune to varicella/zoster

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Hi everyone.. This is. Medical mystery to me so I wanted some input. I had chicken pox when I was younger (severe case) and at some point lost immunity, cause before I was a CNA at a hospital, I got tested, was not immune.. Got the vaccine, then nursing school required serum antibody testing.. Again, I was not immune, got another vaccination. Been working as a nurse for 6 months now and was recently diagnose with shingles by clinical presentation and positive zoster antibodies.. and mandatory out of work for two weeks. Symptoms subsided and I am back to working. Out of curiosity I got tested to see if I am now immune.. I'm still not immune!!! And I was about to start a bridge program from Lpn to rn, and had to drop classes as I cannot do clinicals at this school without serum immunity, vaccination or not.

my question is, anyone seen this happen before? What is going on?!?!?! Lol

i also have lupus and RA and sjogrens if that helps.. Maybe that is a factor?

Thanks!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

It happens with other diseases/infections so I don't know why it wouldn't for varicella. Seems to me though that you should be able to get a doctor's note for an exemption.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I'm in the process of getting a doctors note. I had given them one and it didn't do anything so I may just look for another school that asks for vaccination records instead.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU, LTACH, Internal Medicine.

Per forum TOS, we cannot give medical advice here... but yes, things like this do happen. They are strongly associated with immune pathology like syndrome of high IgE and autoimmune conditions like lupus.

You need to discuss this with your provider and request a consult from immunologist or rheumatologist. You probably will be able to get an exemption note without problems, but this will do nothing with the fact that inability to form immune responce is the sign of immunodeficiency, which is not a good thing to have while working in medical field.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

As KatieMI wrote, this is something to discuss with your PCM as medical advice is prohibited by the TOS. Best of luck with school!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment