TY - JOUR
T1 - Shingles vaccination
T2 - Background and advice for community nurses
AU - Purssell, Edward
PY - 2014/9/1
Y1 - 2014/9/1
N2 - Shingles (or zoster) is a reactivation of an existing varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infection. During the initial infection, VZV causes a systemic disease known as varicella or chickenpox, and this initial infection normally occurs early in childhood in the absence of routine vaccination. Although varicella is normally a mild disease, shingles is associated with significant morbidity and some mortality, particularly in older people. The most significant severe consequence is post-herpetic neuralgia. There is an effective vaccine available for this, known as Zostavax, which is a live-attenuated VZV vaccine. Guidelines in the UK recommend that this is offered to everyone when they become 70 years of age, plus those aged 79 years as part of a catch-up campaign, with those between these ages not being eligible. It is important for all health-care professionals, including district and community nurses, to proactively promote this vaccine, so that those eligible can make an informed decision about whether to receive it.
AB - Shingles (or zoster) is a reactivation of an existing varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infection. During the initial infection, VZV causes a systemic disease known as varicella or chickenpox, and this initial infection normally occurs early in childhood in the absence of routine vaccination. Although varicella is normally a mild disease, shingles is associated with significant morbidity and some mortality, particularly in older people. The most significant severe consequence is post-herpetic neuralgia. There is an effective vaccine available for this, known as Zostavax, which is a live-attenuated VZV vaccine. Guidelines in the UK recommend that this is offered to everyone when they become 70 years of age, plus those aged 79 years as part of a catch-up campaign, with those between these ages not being eligible. It is important for all health-care professionals, including district and community nurses, to proactively promote this vaccine, so that those eligible can make an informed decision about whether to receive it.
KW - Immunisation
KW - Shingles
KW - Vaccination
KW - Varicella-zoster virus
KW - Zoster
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84907553917&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.12968/bjcn.2014.19.9.442
DO - 10.12968/bjcn.2014.19.9.442
M3 - Article
C2 - 25184898
AN - SCOPUS:84907553917
SN - 1462-4753
VL - 19
SP - 442
EP - 446
JO - British Journal of Community Nursing
JF - British Journal of Community Nursing
IS - 9
ER -
