Older Adults
Herpes Zoster (HZ):
HZ is a painful rash that results from reactivation of the latent varicella-zoster virus (VZV). Primary infection with VZV causes chickenpox.1,2
Approximately 99.5% of adults in the US born before 1980 have been infected with VZV and are at risk of developing HZ. An estimated 1 million people develop HZ annually in the US. The risk of HZ increases with age.1
Risk Factors for Development of HZ1,3-5
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Abbreviations
EN English; HZ Herpes Zoster; IC Immunocompromised; IS Immunosuppressed; SP Spanish; VZV Varicella Zoster Virus; US United States of America
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Clinical overview of shingles (herpes zoster). Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/shingles/hcp/clinical-overview/. Last accessed: October 2024.
- Leung J, et al. J Infect Dis 2022;226(Supp 4):S470–7
- Harpaz R, et al. MMWR Recomm Rep 2008;57(No. RR-5).
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Epidemiology and prevention of vaccine-preventable diseases. 14th ed. 2021 Chapter 23: Zoster. Accessed October 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/pinkbook/hcp/table-of-contents/chapter-23-zoster.html
- Marra F, et al. Open: Clinical Forum Infect Dis. 2020;7(1):ofaa005. doi: 10.1093/ofid/ofaa005.