title: Herpes zoster (shingles) at a large New Zealand general practice: incidence over 5 years.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study, in a large group practice in Lower Hutt with a stable population of around 19,000 patients, was to describe the retrospective incidence of shingles over a 5-year period so that it could be compared to international data.
  
  
  METHODS
  The practice database was interrogated for patients whose disease code indicated they suffered shingles, herpes zoster, or post herpetic neuralgia between January 1 2009 and December 31 2013. The charts of the identified patients were reviewed to assess whether the diagnosis was confirmed, to ascertain that onset occurred within the specified time period, to describe the site of the rash and the age, sex and ethnicity of the patients. Rates of disease were calculated using a denominator derived from a comparison of patients registered during the 5 years studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results indicate that incidence of shingles rose with age, females were more frequently affected than males and that the thorax was the commonest site.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The incidence at this New Zealand medical centre was similar to that reported internationally.
authors.affiliation: Ropata Medical Centre, 577 High St, Lower Hutt 5010, New Zealand. stewart_christine@mac.com.
authors.forename: J Stewart
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.forename: Brendon
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ah Wong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D015984:Causality; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D058006:General Practice / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000453:epidemiology; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D051474:Neuralgia, Postherpetic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012042:Registries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D055815:Young Adult