Also known as Herpes Zoster, shingles is an infection caused by reactivation of the chicken pox virus called “varicella zoster virus (VZV). Once the chickenpox resolves, the virus resides in the nerve root for life.

The herpes zoster vaccine provides a booster for protection against a recurrence. It is given to reduce the chance of a common shingles complication, postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). PHN is an exquisitely painful complication of the nerve endings at the site where the rash once was. It can last for months or longer. The older one is, the more chance one has of developing PHN if shingles occurs.

What is the Zoster Vaccine?

It is a live virus that has been weakened to such an extent that it can’t cause an outbreak of shingles but it can help boost the immune system to recognize the virus.

It is given in one injection to persons 60 or older because this is the age group most likely to have a reactivation of the shingles virus. It’s estimated that 98% of adults over the age of 20 have serologic evidence of VZV infection and therefore are at risk of developing shingles according the CDC and National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Vaccine Effectiveness

In a clinical trial involving more than 38,000 adults 60 or over, the vaccine reduced the ovverall incidence of shingles by 51% and the incidence of post-herpatic neuralgia. The older you are when you get the vaccine, the less effective the vaccine is in preventing PHN. It is most effective in the 60-69 year old group.

Vaccine Side Effects

The most common side effects reported are:

• redness at the injection site (36%)
• pain or tenderness at the injection site (35%)
• swelling at the injection site (26%) and
• itchiness at the injection site (7%)

I recommend the zoster vaccine to all my patients 60 and older as well as those who are immunocompromised from pre-existing conditions such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, or anyone on immunosuppressant medication.

Check with your provider about getting the zoster vaccine. As much as it irritates me to say this because I think this should be completely covered by insurance, check with your health insurance company to make sure they will cover the vaccine as it can cost around $150.00