Shingles/Zoster Vaccine

Shingles, also known as zoster, is caused by the varicella-zoster virus – the same virus that causes chickenpox. 98% of adults in Hong Kong had chickenpox. Anyone who had chickenpox, even if they are in good health, has a chance to give develop shingles. People who recovered from chickenpox may develop shingles as the virus enters their nervous system and lies dormant for years. If their immune system becomes weakened, the virus may reactivate.

The patient will develop painful red rashes that consist blisters on one side of the face, back, waist, head or neck. The pain may last for a month and many describe it hurt more than childbirth and post-surgery. A shingle rash near the facial nerves by one’s eyes or ears can cause other complications, including hearing loss and blindness. Other possible complications include acute viral encephalitis, stroke, and post-herpetic neuralgia.

First Stage: Patients may experience flu-like symptoms such as headache, fever, and fatigue.The affected skin may also exhibit itching or mild pain, accompanied with burning sensation.

1 to 3 days after onset: When the virus reach the skin surface, Shingles symptoms become more apparent.Besides the heightened pain,the affected skin may exhibit a reddish rash. The rash then develops into vesicles or blisters, which further spread in a belt-like pattern and can last from one to 14 days, during which pustules or trickle of blood may appear. This will be followed by bursting, collapse and drying up of the fluid-filled blisters and crusting over two to three weeks.

Post Recovery: About one-quarter of patients suffer from post-herpetic neuralgia. Some suffer from nerve pain like shooting, stabbing or burning sensation for months, some even last for years. Sometimes, patients feel very sensitive to touching and need long tern painkiller medications which significantly affects their quality of life. Other complications included skin pigmentation, skin turning black, and scarring in severe case.

- Who had chickenpox in the past

- Aged 50 years or older

- Family history of shingles

- Immunocompromised persons

- Stress and Anxiety

- Recovered from COVID-19

- Chronic disease (e.g. diabetes, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, renal failure)

- Autoimmune Diseases (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus)

Virtus Medical Group now supplies the new generation shingles vaccine.

Shingrix zoster vaccine is newly added to the market and approved by US FDA and EU EMA. Shingrix is more than 90% effective at preventing shingles and post-herpetic neuralgia. People who aged 50 or above and aged 18 or above high-risk individuals should receive two doses of this vaccine(with each dose administered 2-6 months apart). Side effects are temporary, including sore arm with mild or moderate pain, redness and swelling at injection site, tiredness, muscle pain, a headache, shivering, fever, stomach pain, or nausea. Symptoms went away on their own in about 2 to 3 days. You should not get Shingrix if you have severe allergic rection to any component of the vaccine of the previous dose, currently have shingles or currently are pregnant or breastfeeding.