Re: INFO - Herpes zoster (shingles) vaccine guidelines for immunosuppressed patients

[Guest guest]

group;

 

Oh yes I understood this.   I remember it in college.  Of course back than there

was no vaccine for it.  OK ,  Not all of it lol.  I do remember root ganglia as

a certain cells.  (I think lol)  I took care of a patient with Zoster herpes

back in the 80s I think it was the 80s.  I had to dress his wounds.  Also I had

to put on some Silva medicine to get rid of the dying skin.  It made some awful

lesions on him.  It's a very painful disease. 

 

I can't take the vaccine but I had the chicken pox.  Hopefully I won't get

zoster herpes.  It's very contagious too. People that had chicken pox usually

won't get the zoster herpes This is from yreas ago so I put s name on top so

she can make sure I am right,  My youngest daughter never had chicken pox and

she is afraid of later getting zoster herpes.  If I am wrong will let us

know for sure.  Right . 

 

gentle hugs

Clora

 

 

hugs

Clora

 

From: <Rheumatoid.Arthritis.Support@...>

Subject: [ ] INFO - Herpes zoster (shingles) vaccine guidelines for

immunosuppressed patients

" " < >

Date: Sunday, November 2, 2008, 1:37 PM

American College of Rheumatology

Hotline

August 1, 2008

Herpes Zoster (Shingles) Vaccine Guidelines for Immunosuppressed Patients

On June 6, 2008, the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices

issued recommendations for the prevention of herpes zoster, with new

directives important for rheumatic disease patients receiving

immunosuppressive therapy. This Hotline will review these and other

guidelines for zoster vaccine use.

Shingles (H. zoster) affects nearly 1 million Americans annually

(incidence of 3-4/1000 pt-yrs) and will affect 1 in 3 adults during

their lifetime. Early in life, following natural infection (i.e.,

chickenpox) or vaccination, latent varicella zoster virus (VZV) takes

up residence in the dorsal root ganglia and over time, reactivation

may occur under varied circumstances, including alterations in

cell-mediated immunity. Shingles may be complicated by H. zoster

ophthalmicus (10-25%) and post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN; 10-18%).

Prevention is desirable, especially in immunosuppressed patients who

are at greater risk for m ore severe rashes, visceral dissemination or

death. The incidence of shingles increases with: advancing age (age >

60 yrs - 10 cases/1000 pt-yrs); immunosuppression from cancer,

transplantation, autoimmunity (SLE 15-91 cases/1000 pt-yrs; RA 10-15

cases/100 pt-yrs; Wegener's 45 cases/1000 pr-yrs4,5); and certain

immunosuppressive agents (e.g., cyclophosphamide, azathioprine, high

dose prednisone). A contributory role for methotrexate or biologic

therapies in VZV infection or reactivation has not been established.

The Vaccine. A lyophilized, live, attenuated zoster vaccine

(Zostavax®) has been available since 2006 for use in immunocompetant

persons aged > 60 yrs. Of note, the adult vaccine uses the same strain

of virus as the pediatric vaccine (Varivax®) but is at least 14

times more potent. The vaccine was studied for three years in 38,546

individuals > 60 years with a 51% reduction in shingles and a 67%

reduction in PHN. The vaccine has not been studied in immunosuppressed

patients – nonetheless, existing guidelines warn against its use in

the immunosuppressed or those on immunosuppressive therapy. The

vaccine is given as a single subcutaneous injection in the upper arm.

Side effects include injection site reactions (common) and headache

(uncommon). Vaccination rarely induces acute VZV infection. The

approximate cost of vaccine is $150 (U.S.).

**********************************************************************

Read the rest of the article here:

http://www.rheumatology.org/publications/hotline/2008_08_01_shingles.asp

Not an MD

------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

Clora,

Only people who have had chicken pox can get shingles (herpes zoster) later.

Not an MD

On Sun, Nov 2, 2008 at 12:54 PM, Clora <clora4jesus@...> wrote:

> group;

>

> Oh yes I understood this. I remember it in college. Of course back than

there was no vaccine for it. OK , Not all of it lol. I do remember root

ganglia as a certain cells. (I think lol) I took care of a patient with Zoster

herpes back in the 80s I think it was the 80s. I had to dress his wounds. Also

I had to put on some Silva medicine to get rid of the dying skin. It made some

awful lesions on him. It's a very painful disease.

>

> I can't take the vaccine but I had the chicken pox. Hopefully I won't get

zoster herpes. It's very contagious too. People that had chicken pox usually

won't get the zoster herpes This is from yreas ago so I put s name on top so

she can make sure I am right, My youngest daughter never had chicken pox and

she is afraid of later getting zoster herpes. If I am wrong will let us

know for sure. Right .

>

> gentle hugs

> Clora

[Guest guest]

Clora, your daughter could always get a varicella titer drawn to see if she's

immune to c pox. She may have had a mild case that went undiagnosed.

________________________________

From: <Rheumatoid.Arthritis.Support@...>

Sent: Sunday, November 2, 2008 2:03:27 PM

Subject: Re: [ ] INFO - Herpes zoster (shingles) vaccine guidelines for

immunosuppressed patients

Clora,

Only people who have had chicken pox can get shingles (herpes zoster) later.

Not an MD

On Sun, Nov 2, 2008 at 12:54 PM, Clora <clora4jesus> wrote:

> group;

>

> Oh yes I understood this. I remember it in college. Of course back than

there was no vaccine for it. OK , Not all of it lol. I do remember root

ganglia as a certain cells. (I think lol) I took care of a patient with Zoster

herpes back in the 80s I think it was the 80s. I had to dress his wounds. Also

I had to put on some Silva medicine to get rid of the dying skin. It made some

awful lesions on him. It's a very painful disease.

>

> I can't take the vaccine but I had the chicken pox. Hopefully I won't get

zoster herpes. It's very contagious too. People that had chicken pox usually

won't get the zoster herpes This is from yreas ago so I put s name on top so

she can make sure I am right, My youngest daughter never had chicken pox and

she is afraid of later getting zoster herpes. If I am wrong will let us

know for sure. Right .

>

> gentle hugs

> Clora

[Guest guest]

and group;

 

OMG,  My daughter will be so happy to hear that.  I must have got it mixed up

somehow.  Haaaaaaaaaaaaa.  Now crying boohoo ,  I can get it. NOT CRYING JUST

KIDDING.  Actually I am happy I would rather gets shingles anyway than my baby

who is 35 (baby lol) .   Thank you sweety. 

 

Gentle hugs

Clora

 

> group;

>

> Oh yes I understood this. I remember it in college. Of course back than there

was no vaccine for it. OK , Not all of it lol. I do remember root ganglia as a

certain cells. (I think lol) I took care of a patient with Zoster herpes back in

the 80s I think it was the 80s. I had to dress his wounds. Also I had to put on

some Silva medicine to get rid of the dying skin. It made some awful lesions on

him. It's a very painful disease.

>

> I can't take the vaccine but I had the chicken pox. Hopefully I won't get

zoster herpes. It's very contagious too. People that had chicken pox usually

won't get the zoster herpes This is from yreas ago so I put s name on top so

she can make sure I am right, My youngest daughter never had chicken pox and she

is afraid of later getting zoster herpes. If I am wrong will let us know

for sure. Right .

>

> gentle hugs

> Clora

[Guest guest]

and group;

 

 Very true very true. I am learning so much here haaaaaaaaa.  Not necessarily

arthritis.  I just told my daughter about her might had c pox and it was so mild

we didn't know it lol. Not happy lol. 

 

gentle hugs

Clora

 

> group;

>

> Oh yes I understood this. I remember it in college. Of course back than there

was no vaccine for it. OK , Not all of it lol. I do remember root ganglia as a

certain cells. (I think lol) I took care of a patient with Zoster herpes back in

the 80s I think it was the 80s. I had to dress his wounds. Also I had to put on

some Silva medicine to get rid of the dying skin. It made some awful lesions on

him. It's a very painful disease.

>

> I can't take the vaccine but I had the chicken pox. Hopefully I won't get

zoster herpes. It's very contagious too. People that had chicken pox usually

won't get the zoster herpes This is from yreas ago so I put s name on top so

she can make sure I am right, My youngest daughter never had chicken pox and she

is afraid of later getting zoster herpes. If I am wrong will let us know

for sure. Right .

>

> gentle hugs

> Clora