I currently have Pityriasis Rosea. It’s a rash caused by a virus that is not contagious. I cannot wrap my head around how I’m not contagious to others, but I contracted the virus in the first place that made the rash appear. How does this work?
In: Biology
No one knows exactly what causes pityriasis rosea, although some kind of viral effect is a leading theory. If it is contagious, it has very low transmission.
It’s also possible, in general, to get an infection that is not transmissible between people. Lyme disease, for example, verbally isn’t spread person to person.
I am not familiar with that particular disease, so i can’t answer your question exactly, however a rash is usually an immune/allergic response rather than a true direct effect of whatever caused it. In some cases the cause/irritant may be present on the surface of the rash or blisters, or it might be under the skin in the tissues or even an unrelated body part.
for one, I’d like to echo that it’s cause is really not well understood and it may not be caused by a virus at all, though that is the leading theory.
Feel what I understand based on the current limited medical understanding of it, it’s sort of like shingles; it’s a “flare up” of a previous virus, like how shingles occurs only after the patient has had chickenpox, except the “lead in” to pityriasis rosea is roseola. (this is an oversimplification of course)
Someone with shingles cannot give another person shingles. Likewise, someone with PR cannot give another person PR, just due to how these viruses function and lead into one another instead of being a distinct thing in and of themselves. Though the real question is, if the roseola theory is true, does it give people roseola? because shingles can give you chickenpox. I would think they’d have identified that but honestly I don’t think there’s enough evidence for PR specifically for a great answer. it’s such a mystery. I wonder why it’s so elusive, and I have to tell you, don’t expect many answers about it anytime soon 🙁
and now my condolences and sympathies as someone almoooost over PR: got the herald spot back in very late January and here i am in April still dealing with some remnants =/ mine started on my neck/chest and itched like hell after a couple weeks, but you’ll notice as it spreads across your body those first flared up areas will get better and heal. In other words, 6-8 weeks to heal doesn’t mean 6-8 weeks of your chest looking like the world’s worse eczema, it means 6-8 weeks as it affects different parts of your body. Also based on my own experience, it may affect your face which sucks but it shouldn’t be as bad on your face as on, say, your chest! or well, chest was by far the worst for me.
now, my face is 95% clear, my chest/stomach/back/arms is like nothing ever happed, my legs still have spots but don’t itch or feel dry to the touch, and… my armpits still itch like hell. sad.
it kinda killed my confidence for a bit, so I’m wishing you best of luck. Depending on where your spots are turtlenecks may be your best friend, they were mine haha.
Rashes themselves are an immuno response with inflammation caused by histamine and other chemicals from your body.
Like the others, I’m not familiar with that virus, but if it acts similar to warts, it is subdermal, below your skin or at least the top layer. That diseased tissue is the contagious portion, but it’s not able to be spread unless it has a vector- a means by which is can transmit itself. Through fluid usually.
It’s also possible you caught it while your immune system was weak and unable to fight it. We’re exposed to thousands if not millions of disease causing pathogens a day, but most people will not get sick from them. Your immune system is very effective at what it does.
It does have lapses though particularly when it’s overwhelmed by systematic illness that has already taken hold (hence why HIV+ individuals tend to be more susceptible to other infections) and by repeated contact or excessive contact with diseased tissue/pathogens.
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