Anti-Herpes zoster vaccination in patients with dermatologic diseases: a position statement from the Italian SIDeMaST group of sexually transmitted, infectious and tropical diseases.

Abstract

Herpes zoster (HZ) is a condition caused by the reactivation of varicella-zoster virus (VZV), the virus responsible for chickepox, which is the clinical manifestation of the primary infection. Congenital or acquired immune system deficiencies, as well as the physiological decline in immune response occurring in the elderly, known as immune senescence, can allow VZV reactivation and, consequently, HZ. One out of 3 people develops HZ during their lifetime. Moreover, thirty percent of the affected subjects develop post-herpetic neuralgia, the most frequent complication after HZ skin rash. Patients with dermatological conditions characterized by alteration of the immune system, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, bullous diseases, and cutaneous lymphomas, are at higher risk of developing HZ and post-herpetic neuralgia, even when their disease is in remission. In the present work, we described the currently available vaccinations against HZ and provided recommendations for the vaccination against HZ in patients with dermatological diseases.