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Shingles Vaccine Information

The shingles vaccine has been approved and recommended by the Food and Drug Administration for use in most older adults. The vaccine uses a live virus, and so it may trigger a mild outbreak in some; this rash poses a possible risk of infection to those who have never had chickenpox. Although there is a risk of side effects, the benefits of vaccination outweigh concerns for most people.

  1. Recommendations

    • The available vaccine for shingles is called Zostavax. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is recommended for use in adults with healthy immune systems older than 60, and there is no upper age limit for vaccination. The vaccine can even be used in people who have already had a shingles outbreak to decrease their chances of a recurrence.

    Considerations

    • Some adults should not be vaccinated for shingles. This includes, according to the Mayo Clinic, people whose immune systems have been weakened by HIV or other conditions, immunosuppressive therapy, chemo, radiation and steroids, people who have had bone or lymph cancer or have an active case of tuberculosis. People who have a serious allergy to gelatin should also not be vaccinated.

    Side Effects

    • According to the CDC, the most common side effects of the vaccine include a reaction at the injection site, including redness, soreness, swelling and itching. The other common side effect is headache.

    Risks to Others

    • Some people who are vaccinated against shingles develop a mild shingles rash as a result. James M. Steckelberg, MD, notes that it may be theoretically possible to spread the varicella-zoster virus to others as a result of developing this rash, although the CDC reports that there has never been a reported case of this kind of transmission. Their recommendation is, nevertheless, to cover this rash while it is active.

    Benefits

    • The CDC reports that, although vaccination will not necessarily prevent an individual from developing shingles, it may reduce one's chances of developing an outbreak by about half and lower one's risk for developing postherpetic neuralgia--in which the pain of shingles remains after the rash--by almost 70 per cent. The Mayo Clinic also advises that vaccination may reduce the duration and severity of shingles symptoms in people who go on to develop them after vaccination.

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