Herpes zoster vaccine (Zostavax)

Med Lett Drugs Ther. 2006 Sep 11;48(1243):73-4.

Abstract

A live attenuated varicella-zoster vaccine (Zostavax--Merck) has been approved by the FDA for prevention of herpes zoster (HZ; zoster; shingles) in persons > or = 60 years old. Each dose of Zostavax contains about 14 times as much varicella-zoster virus (VZV) as Varivax, which has been used in the US since 1995 to vaccinate against varicella (chicken pox).

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Drug Approval
  • Herpes Zoster / drug therapy*
  • Herpes Zoster / immunology
  • Herpes Zoster / virology
  • Herpes Zoster Vaccine
  • Herpesvirus Vaccines / adverse effects
  • Herpesvirus Vaccines / immunology
  • Herpesvirus Vaccines / therapeutic use*
  • Humans
  • Injections, Subcutaneous
  • Middle Aged
  • Neuralgia, Postherpetic / etiology
  • Population Surveillance
  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
  • Risk Factors
  • Time Factors
  • United States
  • Vaccines, Attenuated / adverse effects
  • Vaccines, Attenuated / immunology
  • Vaccines, Attenuated / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Herpes Zoster Vaccine
  • Herpesvirus Vaccines
  • Vaccines, Attenuated