Vaccination is not required if a person has had primary varicella-zoster virus infection. In the pivotal phase 3 randomized controlled trial of the live-attenuated herpes zoster vaccine, administered as a single dose, the efficacy of the vaccine in persons older than 60 years was 51% for herpes zoster and 67% for preventing postherpetic neuralgia. The estimated duration of protection is 5 years.
The greatest risk for herpes zoster has been observed in patients with severely immunosuppressive conditions (eg, HIV, cancer); however, the live-attenuated vaccine is contraindicated in these individuals.
The live-attenuated herpes zoster vaccine is no longer available for use in the United States, but it is available in other countries, such as Canada and European Union countries.
Learn more about herpes zoster prevention.
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Any views expressed above are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of WebMD or Medscape.
Cite this: Ranjani Somayaji. Fast Five Quiz: Herpes Zoster Risk Factors and Prevention - Medscape - Feb 04, 2022.
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