How are chickenpox and shingles connected?

Chickenpox and shingles are both caused by the same virus: the varicella-zoster virus.

In some people who have had chickenpox, the virus can become active again later in life and cause shingles.

You can't catch shingles from someone else. However, you can catch chickenpox from someone with shingles if you haven't had chickenpox before.