Vaccines and Preventable Diseases:
Shingles In-Short
Description
Shingles is a painful skin rash caused by the varicella zoster virus (VZV).
Symptoms
Pain, itching or tingling of the skin which is followed by a painful skin rash of blister-like lesions, usually localized to a small area on one side of the body, and often the face or trunk. Other symptoms can include fever, headache, chills and upset stomach.
Complications
Extreme pain and very rarely a shingles infection can lead to pneumonia, hearing problems, blindness, brain inflammation (encephalitis) or death.
Transmission
Shingles is a reactivation of the VZV virus and this condition is not spread through sneezing, coughing or casual contact. Anyone who has recovered from chickenpox may develop shingles. However shingles is more common in people 50 years old or older, people who have medical conditions that keep the immune system from working properly, or people who receive immunosuppressive drugs.
Vaccine
Shingles (Herpes Zoster) vaccine (Zostavax) can prevent this disease.
Who Needs to be Vaccinated?
As an adult, do I need this vaccine?
Shingles vaccine was recently recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) to reduce the risk of shingles and its associated pain in people 60 years old or older. See MMWR: Prevention of Shingles (ACIP Recommendations).
For additional details, consult the Shingles Vaccine Information Statement 
(47 KB/2 pages) (compliant) and the Adult Immunization Schedule.
Return to main Shingles Vaccination page
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Content last reviewed on May 22, 2009
Content Source: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases