Hospitalization burden related to herpes zoster among adults with kidney transplants in Spain (2010 –2021)

Background There is a consensus on herpes zoster (HZ) vaccination in at-risk groups of all ages, including solid organ transplant (SOT)-pretransplant and posttransplant groups. The aim of this study was to analyse the burden of hospitalization and its complications due to HZ in patients who had previously undergone kidney transplantation in Spain. Methods We conducted a nationwide retrospective descriptive observational study. The Spanish National Hospital Data Information System (CMBD) was used to collect all cases of hospital admissions for kidney transplant patients with a diagnosis related to HZ during the period 2010–2021 in Spain. The annual hospitalization rate, mortality rate and case fatality rate were calculated. Results A total of 818 cases of HZ were reported among kidney transplant patients, of which 59% were men and 55% were complicated with HZ. The hospitalization rate was 0.15 hospitalizations per 100,000 inhabitants (CI: 95% 0,14–0,16). This rate increased with age, reaching a maximum in the population aged 60–69 years (0.45 per 100,000 inhabitants). The total case fatality rate was 2,81% (CI: 95% 1,84 − 4,12). Conclusions It is necessary to maintain the epidemiological surveillance of herpes zoster infection in patients who receive renal transplants to determine the hospitalization burden and comorbidities, track their evolution, and evaluate preventive measures whose effectiveness should be assessed.