Recent Question:
Should You Get the New Herpes Zoster (Shingles) Vaccine?
Should You Get the New Herpes Zoster (Shingles) Vaccine?
I recently (Oct 9th, 2007) gave a lecture to the Parkinson's Disease Support Group at Leisure World in Silver Spring MD (Outside
Washington DC). The crowd was well informed and inquisitive, and one question they had for me was "should I get the new
vaccine for shingles (Herpes Zoster)?
I didn't know enough about it, to answer. That inspired me to look into it. And my answer is, a resounding YES.
A review published in the Journal "Pharmacotherapy" (2007 Jul;27(7):1013-9) by DR Kockler and MW McCarthy from Charlottesville
VA, as posted in the database of Medical Literature, Pubmed, states the following:
Washington DC). The crowd was well informed and inquisitive, and one question they had for me was "should I get the new
vaccine for shingles (Herpes Zoster)?
I didn't know enough about it, to answer. That inspired me to look into it. And my answer is, a resounding YES.
A review published in the Journal "Pharmacotherapy" (2007 Jul;27(7):1013-9) by DR Kockler and MW McCarthy from Charlottesville
VA, as posted in the database of Medical Literature, Pubmed, states the following:
Herpes zoster is a neurocutaneous disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus and is associated with
significant morbidity and long-term sequelae in older adults. Until recently, treatment options for these
complications have been primarily targeted at disease state management and symptom relief. Zoster
vaccine live is the first vaccine approved for the prevention of herpes zoster. The vaccine was approved
by the United States Food and Drug Administration for adults aged 60 years or older. Results of the
Shingles Prevention Study demonstrated that in older individuals, administration of zoster vaccine live
reduces the burden of illness associated with herpes zoster by 61.1%, the frequency of herpes zoster
pain and discomfort by 51.3%, and the frequency of postherpetic neuralgia by 66.5%. Overall, adverse
events reported in clinical trials of zoster vaccine live were classified as mild. Events that occurred more
frequently in zoster vaccine live recipients than in placebo recipients included injection site reactions,
headache, respiratory infections, fever, flu syndrome, diarrhea, rhinitis, skin disorders, respiratory
disorders, and asthenia. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on
Immunization Practices recently recommended universal vaccination for those 60 years of age and
older, including those who have experienced previous episodes of shingles.
significant morbidity and long-term sequelae in older adults. Until recently, treatment options for these
complications have been primarily targeted at disease state management and symptom relief. Zoster
vaccine live is the first vaccine approved for the prevention of herpes zoster. The vaccine was approved
by the United States Food and Drug Administration for adults aged 60 years or older. Results of the
Shingles Prevention Study demonstrated that in older individuals, administration of zoster vaccine live
reduces the burden of illness associated with herpes zoster by 61.1%, the frequency of herpes zoster
pain and discomfort by 51.3%, and the frequency of postherpetic neuralgia by 66.5%. Overall, adverse
events reported in clinical trials of zoster vaccine live were classified as mild. Events that occurred more
frequently in zoster vaccine live recipients than in placebo recipients included injection site reactions,
headache, respiratory infections, fever, flu syndrome, diarrhea, rhinitis, skin disorders, respiratory
disorders, and asthenia. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on
Immunization Practices recently recommended universal vaccination for those 60 years of age and
older, including those who have experienced previous episodes of shingles.
What does that mean?
- It means that shingles, aka Herpes Zoster, is common, painful, and serious.
- It can be prevented in about 61% of people, or a least, lessened in severity, by the vaccine.
- The vaccine won't completely prevent problems, but, can significantly reduce the severity of the shingles, especially the pain,
in the majority of people. - The side effects are not severe, and the risk is low.
- It is recommended by the Center for Disease Control, and it is recommended by me, for people over the age of 60, including
for people who have already had shingles.
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