[Is it possible to prevent herpes zoster through vaccination?].
The annualized incidence of herpes zoster, due to the endogenous reactivation of varicella zoster virus (VZV), varies between 2 and 5 cases per 1,000 persons with a clear increase over 60 years of age. Mass vaccination against varicella in infants could decrease natural boosters with an increase in zoster incidence. Efficacy of a high titre VZV vaccine in preventing zoster and its sequelae was demonstrated in a multicentric study on over 38.000 older adults. The availability of a specific anti zoster vaccine, recently approved by FDA, could offer an important tool to reduce health problems and improve quality of life in the elderly.
Franco
Elisabetta
E
Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica, Università Tor Vergata, Roma.
Zaratti
Laura
L
Ambrosini-Spinella
Stefano
S
D019433:Chickenpox Vaccine; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000453:epidemiology; D053061:Herpes Zoster Vaccine; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human; D006801:Humans; D011788:Quality of Life; D014611:Vaccination
D019433:Chickenpox Vaccine; D053061:Herpes Zoster Vaccine