Shingles Prevention and New Vaccines on the Horizon

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Posted: Dec 22nd, 2016 at 12:00AM - by e7 Health

Shingles is an extremely painful complication which can occur from exposure to the virus that causes chickenpox. It can be prevented from spreading, and the symptoms can be lessened but it's a truly terrible thing to go through. This later recurrence of the VZV virus can be inoculated against with a surprising amount of effectiveness and there are also some new vaccines in testing which are proving to be amazingly effective.

A Little Bit About Shingles

While there is currently an approved vaccine to treat shingles, it's not perfect and people can still develop the condition later in life.

Shingles isn't highly contagious. Instead, it's caused by the resurgence of the varicella zoster virus (VZV) which can live in the nervous system of a person for decades after the initial infection which is commonly known as chicken pox.

It occurs as painful sores and general illness. Fever can be present in those who contract the disease, as well as headaches, muscle weakness, upset stomach, secondary infections, and scarring. Overall, it adds up to a very painful experience for those who suffer from the condition.

This reanimation of the virus can be caused by a lowered immune system, usually from cancer treatments or just the ravages of old age. It causes extremely painful rashes and can cause blindness if the infection spreads to the eyes. Shingles is also known for causing postherpetic neuralgia which is a condition causing pain that can last for years.

Even worse, it can reoccur again and again with each flare-up potentially causing more complications.

In pregnant mothers who've contracted shingles the risks primarily occur from a newborn touching an infected sore. While this won't cause shingles in the child, it can cause chickenpox which is a serious affair for infants and newborns.

For the most part, shingles can be prevented from spreading to those who don’t have the antibodies for chicken pox by keeping hands clean and keeping the sores from touching others.

VZV hasn't exactly been lying dormant, however, instead it is frequently mutating and it would seem that shingles rates are on the rise while immunization rates are down. It's definitely not a good situation, and things might get worse.

While shingles is generally a disease in the elderly, it can occur even in younger people with healthy immune systems. Roughly 99% of the population has had chicken pox at some point or another and if you've had it then you're at some risk of contracting it.

The idea that an old disease can cause such a serious array of complications is frightening to a lot of people. Thankfully there is already a vaccine on the market and there are new, more effective ones which are currently nearing the end of their trials.

In the event that a person does contract shingles, the sore should be kept covered and medical attention sought for advice. There's always the risk of it spreading and some of the more painful complications occurring but a physician's advice is invaluable.

The Current Vaccine

The current vaccine is strongly recommended for anyone over the age of 60. Even if you somehow contracted a case of shingles earlier in life, the vaccination can help to prevent it from recurring which occurs in about 6% of cases.

It's contraindicated for those with an immune system that's particularly weak, however. In cases like taking immunosuppressive drugs or autoimmune disorders like HIV, the patient should not receive it. Cancer treatment will also disqualify a person from having it, due to the effects on the immune system.

The vaccine has a 51% rate of lowering the incidence of shingles within the population and has a 67% lowered rate of contracting any after effects.

The side effects of this vaccine really aren't any worse than most vaccines. A headache and mild pain or rash at the injection site are the most common, but you'll want to make sure that you're not allergic to any of the components before you go ahead with the inoculation process.

In those who've already had a case of shingles in the past, it's recommended that they wait a year before they receive the vaccine for the best results so talk with your doctor and find out if things are right for you.

The current vaccine is administered as a single dose. If you've got a healthy immune system and you're over the age of sixty, it's strongly recommended that you look into getting it. Our clinics can help you set up an appointment for the simple procedure.

The New Vaccines

There are two new vaccines which are slated for approval at the current time. Both are showing prevention rates from 89-91%, which is a big improvement over the former vaccine. They are, however, double dose vaccines and you'll have to go in twice to get your shots.

They've also been shown to reduce the possibility of postherpetic neuralgia by roughly the same amount that they reduce the risk for shingles. They're looking like extremely effective measures against the disease.

The vaccine has primarily been tested in the older population and they're in phase 3 trials at the moment.

Until they hit the market, the currently available vaccine is your best bet for protection but once they do hit the disease which many elderly fear contracting may become something of a rare fluke occurrence.

The increased efficacy of the new vaccines is nothing short of amazing and they should be hitting the marketplace within the next few years.

Shingles is a painful condition which can afflict some of the most vulnerable classes of people. While it's rarely life threatening it can certainly be life-altering considering the long term consequences of the disease which can occur. In extreme cases, it can even blind the patient.

While the new vaccines being offered are certainly a bright ray of sunlight, if you're currently over the age of sixty years old then you should definitely be looking into getting vaccinated with the current one rather than holding out. Shingles is mostly preventable, and the vaccine can give you a bit of peace of mind that can be hard to find.

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