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May 3, 2002

INTERNATIONAL IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"Chickenpox Vaccine May Up Shingles Risk in Elderly"

Reuters Health Information Services (www.reutershealth.com) (05/02/02); Woodman, Richard

A recent report in the journal Vaccine says that vaccinating children against chickenpox could increase the risk that adults would contract shingles, a disease that is potentially lethal in elderly people.  Researchers from England's Public Health Laboratory Service found that adults living with kids have a greater exposure to the chickenpox virus and therefore enjoy high levels of protection against shingles; however, they said that if all children were vaccinated against chickenpox, then adults would no longer be protected against shingles.  The team worked out a mathematical model that predicted that a complete eradication of chickenpox from a country the size of the United States would prevent 186 million cases of chickenpox and 5,000 deaths over the period of about five decades, but that move could also result in 21 million more cases of shingles and 5,000 deaths, the researchers said.  The team has urged that the policy of mass chickenpox vaccinations be re-evaluated.

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