Efficacy and side effects of the Herpes Zoster vaccine in immunocompromised individuals – a systematic review
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Introduction
Herpes zoster, is a reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus due to weakened immunity. It manifests as a painful rash on the skin and can become more severe in immunocompromised individuals. The risk assessment for herpes zoster among these individuals is not fully understood, but vaccination could aid in preventing this condition.
Aim
This study aimed to systematically review the evidence on the effectiveness and side effects of the Herpes zoster vaccine in immunocompromised patients.
Methods
This systematic review followed the evidence-based PRISMA protocol. The PubMed database, including Cochrane, was searched using specific MeSH terms: “herpes zoster vaccine”[MeSH Terms] AND “immunocompromised host”[MeSH Terms]. Inclusion criteria included studies published in the last 10 years involving humans of any age and gender, written in English, Spanish, French or Portuguese. Additionally, reference lists of significant studies were manually reviewed to identify relevant research that might not have been captured through electronic searches.
Results
The research found 10 articles. Three were considered irrelevant and removed. Out of the remaining seven, four did not meet the pre-established inclusion criteria and were excluded. Ultimately, three articles met the inclusion criteria. Additionally, five more articles from other sources were included in the study, making a total of eight eligible studies for the systematic review.
Discussion
The vaccination approach for preventing HZ in immunocompromised patients is controversial. A systematic literature review from 2020 found that HZ was common among all IC populations studied and exceeded the expected incidence among immunocompetent adults aged ≥60 years. The recombinant vaccine has shown high efficacy against HZ in older adults and IC populations, with all 8 studies analyzed demonstrating safety and effectiveness overall.
Conclusion
This overview of the efficacy of HZ prevention and vaccine immunogenicity, combined with data from previous publications, supports the use of recombinant and live attenuated HZ vaccines in the IC population. The incidence of HZ vaccine complications and their severity in IC populations generally mirrors that among those vaccinated with a placebo.
