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Asthma is a common chronic pulmonary disease that is associated with atopic dermatitis and allergic rhinitis. It is said to affect 7% to 17% of the U.S. population. Herpes zoster (HZ) is a recurrence of the varicella zoster virus occurring more often in older adults. A vaccine to prevent HZ is approved for people older than 50, with a relative contraindication for people with compromised immune status.
Authors of this population-based, case-controlled study examined whether adult asthma patients have increased risk for HZ. They matched 317 HZ patients with 742 controls and found history of asthma in 23% (87) of HZ patients versus 15% (114) of controls (adjusted odds ratio, 1.70; P= 0.03). They also noted that history of HZ vaccination was eq…