Vaccination
As chickenpox shots rose, what happened to shingles?
Open access · cc by · source: Europe PMC
In Massachusetts, higher childhood varicella vaccine coverage tracked with less varicella but more reported herpes zoster—causality still uncertain.
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As chickenpox shots rose, what happened to shingles?
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Coverage 48% to 89% in 19–35-month-olds
Vaccine coverage in Massachusetts 19–35-month-olds increased from 48 to 89 percent over the same 6-year period.
What paired trends accompanied rising coverage?
As varicella vaccine coverage in children increased, the incidence of varicella decreased and the occurrence of herpes zoster increased.
Key findings
Coverage in 19–35-month-olds rose from 48% to 89%. Varicella fell while age-standardized zoster incidence rose by 2.5 per 1,000 (90%) over 1999–2003. Authors caution vaccination is only one possible explanation.
Methodology
Investigators used Massachusetts BRFSS data (1998–2003) and vaccine coverage estimates to track varicella and herpes zoster incidence as childhood vaccination expanded.
Limitations
Ecological survey trends cannot prove childhood vaccination caused the zoster increase.
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