Zoster Vaccine

A zoster vaccine is a vaccine that reduces the incidence of herpes zoster, commonly known as shingles, a disease caused by reactivation of the varicella zoster virus that also causes chickenpox, and which can be followed by chronic pain called postherpetic neuralgia. Two zoster vaccines have been approved for use in people over 50 years old: Shingrix, a recombinant subunit vaccine used in many countries since 2017, and Zostavax, an attenuated vaccine consisting of a larger-than-normal dose of varicella vaccine that has been in use since 2006 but was discontinued in the United States in November 2020. Unlike Shingrix, Zostavax is not suitable for people with immunosuppression or diseases affecting the immune system, and Shingrix appears to prevent more cases of shingles than Zostavax, though its side effects seem more frequent.