US CDC recommends new shingles vaccine for adults aged 50 and above
A new herpes zoster vaccine, Shingrix, was licensed by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2017 and has now been recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. The new vaccine consists of two doses, administered intramuscularly 2 to 6 months apart and has substantially higher efficacy than Zostavax, reducing herpes zoster cases by 97%.
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The CDC recommends using Shingrix in place of Zostavax for preventing herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia in people aged ≥50 years. This represents a lowering of the recommended vaccination age from ≥60 years
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Shingrix is recommended for immunocompetent adults aged ≥50 years regardless of prior episodes of herpes zoster or receipt of Zostavax
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Zostavax may still be used in some cases for healthy adults aged ≥60 years, but Shingrix is preferred
Summary
Definition
History and exam
Risk factors
- >50 years of age
- HIV
- chronic corticosteroid use
- chemotherapy
- malignancies
- white ethnicity
Diagnostic investigations
Investigations to consider
- polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
- immunohistochemistry
- vesicular fluid culture
Treatment algorithm
Contributors
Authors VIEW ALL
Assistant Professor
Center for Value-Based Care Research
Medicine Institute
Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland
OH
Disclosures
PL declares that she has no competing interests.
Professor
Center for Value-based Care Research
Medicine Institute
Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland
OH
Disclosures
MR declares that he has no competing interests.
Dr Phuc Le and Dr Michael Rothberg would like to gratefully acknowledge Dr Kenneth J. Smith and Dr Linda Kalilani, the previous contributors to this topic. KJS and LK declare that they have no competing interests.
Peer reviewers VIEW ALL
Department of Epidemiology
Division of General Medicine and Epidemiology
UNC at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill
NC
Disclosures
JA declares that he has no competing interests.
Consultant Virologist
Manchester Royal Infirmary
Manchester
UK
Disclosures
KM declares that he has no competing interests.
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