Each year, approximately 1 million people develop shingles, a severe skin disease that arises as a complication of the herpes zoster virus. Certain people can protect themselves against developing this painful skin disease by receiving an immunization for shingles called Zostavax, the only shingles vaccine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as of 2010.
Indications
Zostavax is indicated for the prevention of shingles in patients age 60 or older, explains Merck, the pharmaceutical manufacturer of this medication. This shingles immunization is administered as a one-time injection into the upper arm. During clinical trials, treatment with this shingles vaccine reduced patients' risk of developing shingles by approximately 50 percent, the Immunization Action Coalition reports. The effectiveness of Zostavax beyond four years of initial treatment is not known.
Contraindications
Certain people should not receive the shingles vaccine. People who have a depressed immune system due to disease or immunosuppressant medication use should not be treated with Zostavax. Insufficient immune system function can increase a person's risk of developing shingles after receiving the mildly active form of the shingles virus present in this vaccine.
Patients who are sensitive to any of the components of the shingles immunization, including gelatin or neomycin, should not receive treatment, MayoClinic.com reports. Treatment of hypersensitive patients can induce a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. This reaction can cause breathing difficulties, heart rate irregularities or skin swelling within a few minutes of immunization and requires prompt medical attention.
Women who are pregnant or intend to become pregnant should not be exposed to Zostavax. This medication is not indicated for women of reproductive age, Merck warns.
Side Effects
Side effects associated with the shingles vaccine are limited and typically mild. The most common side effect experienced by treated patients during clinical trials for Zostavax was an injection site reaction. Approximately one-third of people developed tenderness, redness or pain at the site of vaccination, Merck reports. Additional injection reaction characteristics may include itching, warmth or swelling. Injection site reaction side effects generally diminish within a few hours or days of vaccination. Certain people can also develop a mild headache after receiving the shingles vaccine, which can be alleviated by taking an over-the-counter pain medication such as acetaminophen. People who develop severe or persistent side effects after receiving Zostavax should seek additional care from a doctor.
