Exposure to Varicella Reduced Risk for Developing Zoster

In a self-controlled U.K. case series, zoster risk reduction was 33% within the first 2 years after varicella exposure and 27% 10 to 20 years after exposure.

In 1965 it was first suggested that, in persons who have had chickenpox or received the varicella vaccine, varicella zoster virus (VZV) immunity is boosted after subsequent exposure to VZV. Although this “exogenous boosting hypothesis” is supported by laboratory analyses of VZV immunity and investigations of risk factors for zoster, epidemiologic analyses have yielded conflicting results. Now, researchers have conducted a self-controlled case series in a representative sample of the U.K. general population between April 1997 and July 2018. A total of 9604 adults had zoster and were also exposed to a child with varicella in the same household. Median age at first zoster diagnosis was 41 years, 69% were women, and 1.2% were immunosuppressed a…

Reviewing Author

Thomas Glück, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsConsilium Infectiorum by InfectoPharm, Infection

Thomas Glück, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsConsilium Infectiorum by InfectoPharm, Infection

Exposure to Varicella Reduced Risk for Developing Zoster

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Reviewing Author