Zoster vaccine

Common card · No. 261878

A zoster vaccine is a vaccine that reduces the incidence of herpes zoster (a.k.a. shingles), a disease caused by later-life reactivation of the varicella zoster virus (the same virus responsible for chickenpox). Shingles provokes a painful rash with blisters, and can be followed by chronic pain (postherpetic neuralgia) and other complications. Older people are more often affected, as are people with weakened immune systems (those with immunosuppression). Both shingles and postherpetic neuralgia can be prevented by vaccination. Two zoster vaccines have been approved for use in people over 50 years old. Shingrix (GSK) is a recombinant subunit vaccine that has been used in many countries since 2017. Zostavax (Merck), in use from 2006 until 2020, was an attenuated vaccine which consisted of a larger-than-normal dose of varicella vaccine. Unlike Shingrix, Zostavax is not suitable for people with immunosuppression or diseases that affect the immune system. Zostavax was discontinued in the United...

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