title: Zoster vaccine live (Oka/Merck).
abstract: A subcutaneously administered, live, high-titre (18,700-60,000 plaque-forming units per dose) varicella zoster virus (VZV) vaccine (zoster vaccine) of the Oka/Merck strain has been evaluated for the prevention of herpes zoster and the reduction of zoster-associated pain in adults aged > or =60 years. Zoster vaccine, when compared with placebo, reduced the burden of herpes zoster illness by 61%, the incidence of herpes zoster by 51% and the incidence of postherpetic neuralgia by 67% during more than 3 years of surveillance. The zoster vaccine caused an initial 1.7-fold rise in VZV antibody titre after 6 weeks that declined progressively over 3 years. Increases in gamma-interferon-secreting peripheral blood mononuclear cells were 2.2-fold greater with the zoster vaccine than with placebo 6 weeks after vaccination. Zoster vaccine was generally well tolerated. The most frequently reported adverse reactions following vaccination were injection-site reactions; the only systemic adverse event with zoster vaccine that differed significantly in incidence from that with placebo was headache.
authors.affiliation: Adis International Limited, Auckland, New Zealand. demail@adis.co.nz
authors.forename: Dean M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: Caroline M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Perry
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000517:prevention & control; D053061:Herpes Zoster Vaccine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D053061:Herpes Zoster Vaccine; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated