Shingles

A new thesis presented at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, found that although immunizing children against chicken pox saves money, offering shingles vaccinations to all adults 65 years of age would not.

Glucose levels should be screened at herpes zoster diagnosis.

A genetically edited form of herpes simplex virus altered to prevent it from avoiding an immune response outperformed a leading vaccine candidate.

With more awareness of the susceptibility to coinfection with varicella zoster virus and pneumocystic jirovecii, clinicians should aggressively seek signs of opportunistic infections in susceptible patients and treat them accordingly.

Study suggests herpes simplex virus type 1 infection can spread to the fetal brain during pregnancy.

Even in a relatively asymptomatic case of COVID-19, it is possible that the virus could have fostered retrograde reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus.

Dissecting the mechanisms of this immunomodulation could provide important insights into varicella zoster virus pathogenesis and will be important when designing new vaccines and antivirals.

Researchers found that herpes prevalence increased steadily with age, with the lowest rates among those aged 20 years or younger and the highest rates among those aged 50 years and older.

Herpes zoster, commonly known as shingles, is often painful and in some cases last more than a year.

Top news of the week from Pharmacy Times.

Due to the suboptimal rates of live-attenuated varicella vaccination, outbreaks of varicella-zoster virus still occur, causing incidence of both varicella and herpes zoster.

The physical and emotional stress of a COVID-19 diagnosis might be the triggering factor for the development of herpes zoster ophthalmicus.

Although herpes zoster is rare in children, a case study suggests that it can develop in immunocompetent children after vaccination.

Top news of the week from Pharmacy Times.

The FDA has approved mepolizumab for the treatment of hypereosinophilic syndrome.

The FDA has approved tofacitinib for the treatment of children and adolescents 2 years and older with active polyarticular course juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Though more research is needed, reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus may be caused by a decrease in absolute lymphocytes caused by COVID-19.

In a comprehensive systematic review that assessed risk factors for HZ infection, researchers found that immunosuppression through HIV/AIDS or malignancy places individuals at a significant risk.

Despite some challenges, these programs increase rates and follow-up doses and improve patient communication.

Room for improvement remains, based on 3 factors identified by WHO: complacency, confidence, and convenience.

Pharmacists have become widely accepted as immunization advocates, educators, and administrators, and an increasing proportion of influenza vaccines are being administered in community pharmacies nationwide.

Counseling pearls and considerations for the shingles vaccine, such as navigating insurance coverage, managing adverse events, and handling a missed dose in the series, are discussed.

Study findings could lead to new treatments and vaccines for other herpesviruses, as well as HIV, coronaviruses, and other conditions, all of which rely on the same protein.

At the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices' June 2020 meeting, the agenda included discussions of the meningococcal vaccine, influenza vaccine, and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID- 19).

The COVID-19 pandemic serves as an important reminder of basic recommendations for ensuring health and wellness and protecting oneself against communicable disease transmission.

Researchers used 2 pairs of genetic scissors to remove latent herpes simplex virus 1, an approach they say should move toward clinical trials.

A study showed that pharmacists in the state of Wisconsin are most likely to administer zoster and influenza vaccines to customers.

A new treatment that targets the physical properties of the herpes virus, not just the virus proteins, shows promise.

According to researchers at the Asan Medical Center in Seoul, South Korea, patients who have left their shingles symptoms untreated have an increased risk of dementia.

In a recent study, researchers found that Zoster Vaccine Live, a type of shingles vaccine, may prevent stroke in some older adults.