That Herpes Zoster has increased its cases in recent times It is not related to a greater contagion capacity. The increase in this pathology is related to population aging and a growing number of immunosuppressed people.
Herpes Zoster, also known as “shingles”, is caused by reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), the same virus that causes chickenpox. After chickenpox has resolved, the virus remains inactive and can reactivate later in a person’s life.
The reappearance of the virus can cause a painful maculopapular vesicular eruption (herpes zoster), which affects the course of a nerve (face, neck, thorax and lumbar). These vesicles turn into scabs in 7 to 10 days and disappear in 2 to 4 weeks.
In Argentina, at the end of March of this year, the ANMAT made official the availability of a new vaccine against Herpes Zoster. This vaccine, called Shingrix, must be applied at an interval that goes between two and six months for those over 50 years of age.
What characteristics does the new vaccine against Herpes Zoster have?
The main property of the Shingrix vaccine is that it is a inactivated vaccine made from a component of the virus. Therefore, since it does not have live viruses, it can be administered to immunocompromised patients without contraindications and having previously had Herpes Zoster does not contraindicate its placement.
It can also be given with other vaccines such as flu, pneumonia, and hepatitis without any problems.
Some of the complications that this pathology can present are: Postherpetic Neuralgia (PHN), Ophthalmic Herpes Zoster and disseminated Zoster.
This vaccine is administered in two doses, with an interval of 2 to 6 months between each one of them. The most common side effects of the Herpes Zoster vaccine are:
– Redness
– general pain
– Tenderness, swelling and itching at the injection site
– Headaches
Although the efficacy for the prevention of Herpes Zoster in clinical studies is greater than 90%, people contract the disease despite vaccination, have a decrease in severity and duration. The vaccine also reduces the risk of postherpetic neuralgia, the most frequent and often disabling complication of Herpes Zoster. Postherpetic neuralgia is characterized by pain that lasts a long time after the HZ has resolved.
It is important that adult patients over the age of 50 have their full vaccination schedules for flu, covid, hepatitis B, and tetanus. The Herpes Zoster Vaccine is currently added to these schemes.
In that sense, from Sanatorio Allende Infectious Diseases Service Different specialists recommend that adults keep their vaccinations up to date since they are, along with immunocompromised patients, one of the groups at greatest risk of contracting this disease.
Doctor Fernando Riera – Infectology Service – Allende Sanatorium
2023-08-15 03:00:11
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