Shingles Vaccine | OCU

Herpes zoster – a very painful disease

Herpes zoster is a disease caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox in childhood: the Varicella-zoster virus. Ever since we got infected, and once we get over chicken pox, the virus lies dormant and dormant in our bodies until as we get older and as our immune systems weaken, it reactivates and manifests itself again in the form of shingles. .

• Shingles is a low fatality disease, but it affects many people and has a major impact on quality of life.
• It usually appears after the age of 50 and reaches its maximum incidence in the over-80s.
• It is characterized by the appearance, on one side of the body, of some skin lesions in the form of vesicles that arise later the nerve pathway where the virus was stationed and in a latent state. This cutaneous distribution, following the path of the nerve, is what gives it the colloquial name of “shingles”. Generally, 7 to 10 days after their appearance, the blisters dry up, a crust forms which can last several weeks and leave a scar or pigmentation changes on the skin.

But the main problem with shingles is painwhich usually precedes skin lesions by 1-3 days. The pain caused by shingles can be very intense, so much so that it can be confused with heart attack, renal colic, appendicitis, etc. It is usually described as a very sharp, burning, stabbing and in severe cases pain affects ability to work, general activity level, moodetc.

Sometimes this pain persists over time, even when the lesions have already disappeared: it is post-herpetic neuralgia, the most frequent complication of this disease, which is very difficult to treat.

Shingles treatment consists in giving analgesics for pain and antivirals to reduce viral replication and thus shorten the duration of herpes. But the use of antivirals does not prevent the reactivation of the virus, nor does it prevent the emergence of new herpes.

Shingrix: new vaccine against shingles

To prevent reactivation of the shingles virus the best strategy is prepare our immune system fight this virus through vaccination.

Until recently, there was only one shingles vaccine marketed, its use was limited to certain people and less effective in older patients, so it was never incorporated into the vaccination schedule. But in 2018 the marketing of Shingrix, a new vaccine against herpes much more effective and without the limitations of use of the previous one.

• Shingrix does not contain the virus itself, but a virus-specific protein.
• As it does not contain live viruses, it can be used in people with weak immune systems.
• Shingrix requires two doses: the second dose is given 2 to 6 months after the first.

Shingrix efficacy

Various clinical studies have proved this It is highly effective in preventing the occurrence of shingles in both the elderly and immunocompromised patients:

Possible side effects of Shingrix

This vaccine usually produces the typical adverse reactions that occur in the short term after administration of a vaccine and which are due to the excessive response of the immune system: pain, swelling, redness at the injection site or fever are very common reactions with Shingrix. Indeed, in clinical studies, it has been observed that 81% of people vaccinated with Shingrix developed local reactionsbeing the most common pain at the injection site (78% of vaccinated).

The same happens with the systemic reactions (muscle pain, tiredness, headache): e65% of vaccinated with Shingrix .

However, It is considered a safe vaccine as the observed reactions are transient and of short duration.in 1 to 3 days they disappear.

it is already under management

The public health systems of the different autonomous communities have already started administering the vaccine following the recommendations of the Report on the program and vaccination register advised by the Commission of Public Health.

• The recommendations say so Vaccination should be completed first in people 18 years of age and older who are at increased risk of developing shinglesi.e. immunodeficient or immunosuppressed people (transplant patients, cancer patients, treated with anti-JAK immunosuppressants, HIV patients).
• Once vaccination is completed in people at risk Dosing in people 65 years of age and older will be started gradually, starting first with people 80 years of age and older. and gradually decreasing each year by age group depending on the availability of doses.

An expensive vaccine

People over the age of 65 who are not in the risk groups and who are not in the age groups being vaccinated in their respective Autonomous Communities this year, but who still want to get Shingrix vaccine against herpes they will need a prescription and will buy the vaccine at the pharmacy: the price of each vial is 217.52 euros, and two are needed to complete the administration regimen.