A non-contagious disease caused by the varicella zoster virus (VZV or HHV-3). VZV is the same virus that causes chickenpox. The virus remains in the nervous system of people who have had chickenpox, and it can become active years later to cause shingles. Symptoms of shingles can include numbness, itching, and severe pain that is followed by a rash of blister-like lesions along one side of the body. The pain can persist for weeks, months, or years after the rash heals. People with HIV are more at risk for shingles than people with healthy immune systems.