title: Shingles (Herpes Zoster) Vaccine (Zostavax(®)): A Review in the Prevention of Herpes Zoster and Postherpetic Neuralgia.
abstract: Zostavax(®) is a live attenuated shingles (herpes zoster) vaccine approved in the EU for the prevention of herpes zoster (HZ) and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) in adults aged ≥50 years. Zoster vaccine protected against HZ in adults aged 50-59 years (ZEST trial) and ≥60 years [Shingles Prevention Study (SPS)], and also reduced the burden of illness associated with HZ and the risk of PHN in adults aged ≥60 years (SPS). A large amount of real-world data also supports the efficacy of zoster vaccine. Results of the SPS Short- and Long-Term Persistence Substudies and real-world studies indicate that zoster vaccine provided continued benefit in the longer term, albeit with a gradual decline in vaccine efficacy over time; long-term effectiveness studies are ongoing. The need for a booster dose is still unknown, but a study showed that, if necessary, a booster dose administered to adults aged ≥70 years who received their first dose of zoster vaccine ≥10 years previously was immunogenic. Zoster vaccine had a favourable safety and tolerability profile, with the most commonly reported adverse events being non-severe injection-site reactions. In conclusion, zoster vaccine reduces the incidence of HZ and PHN, thereby reducing the burden of illness associated with HZ; improved uptake of zoster vaccine is needed.
authors.affiliation: Springer, Private Bag 65901, Mairangi Bay, 0754, Auckland, New Zealand. demail@springer.com.
authors.forename: Gillian M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Keating
mesh_terms: D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D053061:Herpes Zoster Vaccine / Q000191:economics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D051474:Neuralgia, Postherpetic / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D053061:Herpes Zoster Vaccine