Silver Book

Silver Book Fact

Use of shingles vaccines significantly reduced disease burden

Use of a live attenuated VZV (varicella-zoster vaccine) in a randomized trial reduced the burden of illness from shingles by 61.1% and the incidence of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) by 66.5%.

Oxman, M.N., M.J. Levin, G.R. Johnson, K.E. Schmader, S.E. Straus, et al; for the Shingles Prevention Study Group. A Vaccine to Prevent Herpes Zoster and Postherpetic Neuralgia in Older Adults. NEJM. 2005; 352(22): 2271-84. http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa051016

Reference

Title
A Vaccine to Prevent Herpes Zoster and Postherpetic Neuralgia in Older Adults
Publication
NEJM
Publication Date
2005
Authors
Oxman, M.N., M.J. Levin, G.R. Johnson, K.E. Schmader, S.E. Straus, et al; for the Shingles Prevention Study Group
Volume & Issue
Volume 352, Issue 22
Pages
2271-84
URL
Read Full Resource

Categories

  • Innovative Medical Research
  • Human Value

Related Facts

  • Life years saved from infectious disease eradication
    Infectious disease eradication in the U.S. led to the following annual life years saved (LYS): 5,811,852 for measles 42,702 for tetanus 212,690 for polio 1,685,740 for smallpox  
  • Diptheria vaccine significantly reduced annual cases
    Vaccination has played a significant role in reducing diphtheria cases from 80,000 in 1975 to less than 10,000 per year.  
  • Cost of pneumonia vaccine
    Addition of PCV13 (13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine) to previously recommended pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine for immunocompromised adults cost $70,937 per quality adjusted life year compared to no vaccine.  
  • Global use of vaccine prevents death
    Compared to estimated deaths without vaccination, global use of vaccination in 2001 prevented: 61% of measles deaths; 69% of tetanus deaths; 78% of pertussis (whooping cough) deaths; 94% of diphtheria…  
  • Each flu case prevented could save $60 to $4,000
    The influenza vaccination could save between $60 and $4,000 per case prevented.