Two Doses of Zoster Vaccine Reduce Risk for Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
TUESDAY, Aug. 19, 2025 -- Two doses of recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) are associated with a reduced risk for herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO), acute myocardial infarction, and stroke among adults aged 50 years or older, according to a study published online Aug. 9 in Clinical Infectious Diseases.
Emily Rayens, Ph.D., M.P.H., from Kaiser Permanente Southern California in Pasadena, and colleagues conducted a matched cohort analysis of adults aged 50 years and older who received two doses of RZV four weeks to six months apart during April 1, 2018, to Dec. 31, 2020, and were matched in a 1:4 ratio with RZV-unvaccinated individuals. Data were included for 102,766 two-dose RZV-vaccinated adults and 411,064 unvaccinated adults.
The researchers found that when comparing RZV-vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, the adjusted hazard ratios of HZO, hospitalized acute myocardial infraction, and hospitalized stroke were 0.271, 0.720, and 0.575, respectively. Against HZO, the adjusted RZV effectiveness was 72.9 percent.
"These data suggest that health benefits of RZV immunization may extend beyond the well-described prevention of herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia," the authors write.
Several authors disclosed ties to biopharmaceutical companies, including GSK, which funded the study.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted August 2025
Read this next
Acute Ischemic Stroke Up in Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander People
FRIDAY, Sept. 5, 2025 -- The incidence of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is higher among Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander (NHOPI) individuals than among other racial and ethnic...
COVID-19 Tied to Higher Risk for Inflammatory Diseases of the Airways
THURSDAY, Aug. 28, 2025 -- People who have had COVID-19 have an increased risk for developing certain new-onset type 2 inflammatory diseases of the airways, while receipt of a...
Use of Vaginal Estradiol Tablets Not Linked to Recurrent Stroke
THURSDAY, Aug. 21, 2025 -- For women with a history of ischemic stroke, use of vaginal estradiol tablets is not associated with an increased rate of recurrent stroke, according to...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.