Shingles Disease Vaccine Pros And Cons

Every year, 1 million Americans come down with herpes zoster, which is more commonly referred to as "shingles." This painful skin rash is much more common in people over the age of 60 who have weakened immune systems due to cancer, HIV/AIDS, autoimmune disorders, steroid use, chemotherapy or radiation therapy. The best way one can protect him or herself from this unsightly virus is to get the shingles disease vaccine Zostavax.  

Zostavax was licensed in 2006 and has been tested on more than 20,000 Americans so far. One dose administered by injection into the upper arm has been shown to reduce the risk of shingles by 50% and the risk of post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN) by 67%. The few people who developed shingles, regardless of the vaccine, generally suffered less pain and required less medication treatment than those who were not vaccinated. The vaccine is said to be extremely safe. The only serious risk associated with the vaccine is for people who are allergic to gelatin or the antibiotic neomycin. One in three patients reported redness, soreness or swelling at the injection site. One in seventy patients said they got a headache following their vaccination. People who develop a reaction to the vaccine do so within minutes or an hour of injection, and usually report a sudden fever, difficulty breathing, wheezing, weakness, hives, a quickened heartbeat, dizziness, paleness and throat swelling. If any of these serious symptoms occur, a doctor should be called immediately.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends one dose of the shingles disease vaccine every 6 years for any adult age 60+, even if they've had the chickenpox virus before. It is a fallacy that having the virus once bolsters immunity, as people often relapse after years of dormancy. "People who have had chicken pox have at least a one in ten chance of developing shingles. The risk increases with age," Dr. Jon Hallberg tells Minnesota Public Radio. "As we get older, our immune system is less capable of fending off things, or in the case of the varicella zoster virus, of keeping it in check," he explains. Individuals who have the shingles virus should at least wait until the rash has cleared to be vaccinated. The vaccine is most effective when administered to people ages 60-69, but shows promise for those who are older as well.  

Even though the shingles disease vaccine is CDC-recommended, researchers are still examining the cost-effectiveness of vaccinations for all. For some individuals, Medicare Part D or their private insurer policy may cover the $200 - $500 herpes zoster vaccine. However, there is a question of value for people who have to pay out-of-pocket. Dr. John Hornberger MD from the Stanford University School of Medicine in Palo Alto advises, "I'd say if you're 60 to 70, then yes, you should do it if you can afford it. Even if it's not reimbursed by your funding agency or HMO, it's probably good value for money. If you're 80 or 90 and you've got a lot of other problems and a fixed income, maybe the $145 would be used more profitably in other ways."

Related topics about Shingles Disease Vaccine
Shingles Disease Symptoms Are Painful
Many patients wonder, "Are shingles contagious?" They also wonder if they will experience these painful shingles disease symptoms more than once in their lifetime. Doctors can say with certainty that a person cannot catch shingles from someone who has shingles, but if they've never had the chickenpox before, they can catch that form of the herpes virus. So far it seems, almost without exception, that people will either never get shingles or will only have it once.

Shingles Disease: The Facts
The shingles disease is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, which is part of the herpes viruses that cause chickenpox. Anyone who has had chickenpox can develop shingles, as it often lies dormant in the nervous system for years. Doctors are still researching to figure out what triggers the dormant virus in some people, but they speculate that it may be due to a lowered immunity to infections as the body weakens with age.

Treating Shingles in the Eye
The treatment of shingles in the eye is not very invasive, usually. If caught early (within the first 72 hours of the rash appearance), doctors will prescribe an antiviral medication, like acyclovir or famvir that weakens the virus and reduces the risk of developing serious side effects, like post-herpetic neuralgia, incessant pain or glaucoma and blindness. Prescription eye drops and topical creams help to reduce itchiness and pain both in and around the eye.