Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Apollo Hospital, Chennai, India.
Advanced Multi Specialty Hospital, Mumbai, India.
Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2023 Aug 1;19(2):2220608. doi: 10.1080/21645515.2023.2220608. Epub 2023 Jun 9.
Herpes zoster (HZ) is a debilitating viral infection causing a dermatomal vesicular rash. Many known risk factors exist in India and adults >50 years of age may be especially susceptible to HZ. However, HZ is not a notifiable disease in India and data on incidence and disease burden is lacking. An Expert Consensus Group meeting was conducted with experts from relevant specialties to discuss HZ disease, its local epidemiology, and suggestions for implementing HZ vaccination in the Indian healthcare system. Currently, there is lack of patient awareness, poor reporting practices and general negligence in the treatment of the disease. HZ patients generally approach their general physicians or specialists for diagnosis, which is usually based on patient history and clinical symptoms. Recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) has >90% efficacy and is recommended in adults ≥50 years of age to prevent HZ in the United States. Despite RZV being approved for use, it is not yet available in India. India has a growing elderly population with known risk factors for HZ like immunosuppression, and co-morbidities like diabetes and cardiovascular disease. This indicates the need for a targeted immunization program in India. Meeting also emphasized adult vaccine availability and accessibility in the country.
带状疱疹（HZ）是一种使人虚弱的病毒性感染，会导致疱疹性皮疹。印度存在许多已知的危险因素，50 岁以上的成年人尤其容易感染 HZ。然而，印度并未将 HZ 列为法定传染病，因此缺乏发病率和疾病负担方面的数据。一个由相关专业专家组成的专家共识小组会议讨论了 HZ 疾病、其局部流行病学以及在印度医疗保健系统中实施 HZ 疫苗接种的建议。目前，患者对此病的认识不足，报告实践不佳，治疗方面也普遍疏忽。HZ 患者通常会向全科医生或专科医生就诊以进行诊断，通常基于患者的病史和临床症状。重组带状疱疹疫苗（RZV）在美国被推荐用于≥50 岁的成年人，以预防 HZ，其有效性超过 90%。尽管 RZV 已获准使用，但印度尚未上市。印度的老年人口不断增长，已知的 HZ 危险因素包括免疫抑制、糖尿病和心血管疾病等合并症。这表明印度需要有针对性的免疫接种计划。会议还强调了该国成人疫苗的供应和可及性。
