If off-topic stuff ticks you off, please delete this before reading further, thanks!!

There was some discussion of shingles on this list recently, and due to being severely overextended, I didn't have time/energy to follow them.  
 
I just learned that my 12-yr old nephew has SHINGLES. His back and arm are bad, and he has blisters all over his fingers.  His mother swears he never had chicken pox, but if I understand right, he HAD to have had it, or he couldn't have shingles now. 
 
This seems EXTREMELY young to have shingles, anyone know what that may indicate?  Mark is small for his age and has always had a lot of allergies and a weak and/or overreactive immune system.  His father, aunt (me), and grandmother have all had shingles multiple times, beginning in our 30s or 40s.
 
I also think I remember someone posting about shingles being associated with a major disease, but can't remember what (lack of sleep is killing me).  Anyone remember?
 
This kid lives on a wierd combination of "healthy low-fat" trendy stuff and junk foods.  Their diet baffles me (except when I visit and eat his other grandma's killer cakes, she is an old-fashioned southern cook, ummmm).  
 
If there is any info you can share about shingles and associated diseases to help us understand why he has it so badly so young, we would be grateful. 
 
As for stressors, his only stress is that the dog he waited all his life to get is from a puppy mill, and has so many allergic problems, the specialists at Auburn were horrified he was only 6 months old.  Mark has been worrying a lot about the pup, who is only now beginning to improve (I bought them a book on the BARF diet in hopes they might at least feed the DOG a healthy diet!!)
 
Frazzledly (wishing I could have the shingles FOR him, at least I am used to the pain and nasty drugs)
 
-- laurie brooke adams (Mother Mastiff)  mastiffs at mindspring dot-com