Efficacy of the Herpes Zoster Subunit Vaccine in Adults 70 Years of Age or Older

• Published in: The New England journal of medicine Vol. 375; no. 11; pp. 1019 - 1032
• Main Authors: Cunningham, Anthony L, Lal, Himal, Kovac, Martina, Chlibek, Roman, Hwang, Shinn-Jang, Díez-Domingo, Javier, Godeaux, Olivier, Levin, Myron J, McElhaney, Janet E, Puig-Barberà, Joan, Vanden Abeele, Carline, Vesikari, Timo, Watanabe, Daisuke, Zahaf, Toufik, Ahonen, Anitta, Athan, Eugene, Barba-Gomez, Jose F, Campora, Laura, de Looze, Ferdinandus, Downey, H. Jackson, Ghesquiere, Wayne, Gorfinkel, Iris, Korhonen, Tiina, Leung, Edward, McNeil, Shelly A, Oostvogels, Lidia, Rombo, Lars, Smetana, Jan, Weckx, Lily, Yeo, Wilfred, Heineman, Thomas C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Massachusetts Medical Society 15.09.2016
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Chicken pox; Clinical trials; Data processing; Double-Blind Method; Female; Glycoprotein E; Herpes viruses; Herpes zoster; Herpes Zoster - immunology; Herpes Zoster - prevention & control; Herpes Zoster Vaccine - adverse effects; Herpes Zoster Vaccine - immunology; Humans; Immunization; Injection; Kaplan-Meier Estimate; Male; Middle Aged; Neuralgia; Neuralgia, Postherpetic - epidemiology; Neuralgia, Postherpetic - prevention & control; Older people; Risk; Vaccine efficacy; Vaccines; Vaccines, Subunit - adverse effects; Vaccines, Subunit - immunology; Varicella; Australia; Asia; North America; Europe; Latin America
• ISSN: 0028-4793; 1533-4406; 1533-4406
• DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1603800

In this trial of a recombinant VZV glycoprotein E subunit vaccine with the adjuvant AS01 B , the risk of herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia is shown to be significantly lower in association with the vaccine than with placebo among persons 70 years of age or older. Herpes zoster, or shingles, results from the reactivation of latent varicella–zoster virus (VZV) and typically manifests as a vesicular, painful dermatomal rash. 1 , 2 The most common complication of herpes zoster, postherpetic neuralgia, manifests as chronic neuropathic pain that can greatly limit daily activities. 1 , 3 – 6 The overall incidence of herpes zoster is 2.0 to 4.6 cases per 1000 person-years but increases with age to 10.0 to 12.8 per 1000 person-years among persons 80 years of age or older. 7 – 10 Similarly, the incidence of postherpetic neuralgia also increases with age. 10 – 13 Antiviral therapy can reduce the duration of herpes zoster rash . . .