Herpes Zoster News and Research

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Herpes Zoster, also called shingles, is a painful skin rash caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. After a person recovers from chickenpox, the virus remains inactive in the body. Usually the virus does not cause any further problems; however, the virus may re-emerge years later, causing shingles.

CDC’s activation of Emergency Operations Center helps improve the response to monkeypox outbreak

Today, CDC continues to lean forward with an aggressive public health response to the monkeypox outbreak by activating its Emergency Operations Center (EOC).

1 Jul 2022

Study evaluates the prevalence of autoantibodies targeting type I interferons in critically-ill COVID-19 patients

Researchers assessed the prevalence of antibodies that neutralize the type I interferon antiviral activity and reactivate herpesviruses such as herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 and/or cytomegalovirus infections in patients with critical COVID-19.

24 Mar 2022

Dreaded microbe can silence multiple types of pain, study suggests

Anthrax has a scary reputation. Widely known to cause serious lung infections in humans and unsightly, albeit painless, skin lesions in livestock and people, the anthrax bacterium has even been used as a weapon of terror.

20 Dec 2021

Large Israeli study offers detailed look at safety profile of mRNA vaccine against SARS-CoV-2

A deep look into a nationwide mass vaccination setting in Israel revealed that the BNT162b2 (Pfizer–BioNTech) vaccine is not linked with an elevated risk of a majority of the adverse events under study, with the exception of myocarditis. However, even that potentially severe adverse event is much more pervasive following the infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), found a new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).

30 Aug 2021

Study examines safety of COVID-19 vaccine in a nationwide mass-vaccination setting

The Clalit Research Institute, in collaboration with researchers from Harvard University, analyzed one of the world's largest integrated health record databases to examine the safety of the Pfizer/BioNTech BNT162B2 vaccine against COVID-19.

27 Aug 2021

How can COVID-19 affect the skin?

A new review published in the journal Canadian Family Physician describes skin diseases caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

20 Aug 2021

mRNA COVID-19 vaccines may increase patients' concerns about side effects

Vivid photos of the red "COVID arm" rash and reports of facial swelling in patients who have received dermatological fillers after Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccination for COVID-19 may increase patients' concerns about mRNA vaccine side effects and contribute to vaccine hesitancy.

23 Jun 2021

Vaccines can save lives and safeguard health and well-being

Effectively and safely protecting against disease--this is what makes vaccines a vital and successful public health tool that saves lives and safeguards health and well-being. Today, vaccines shield us from more than 20 life-threatening diseases.

30 Apr 2021

Despite all the talk, Covid vaccination does not infect people with shingles

Posts are showing up all over social media tying Covid-19 vaccinations to shingles and other painful skin disorders.

30 Apr 2021

Research explores the cost-effectiveness of Sweden's national vaccination programs

Immunizing children against chickenpox would save money, but offering shingles vaccinations to all 65-year-olds would not. These are examples of findings in a University of Gothenburg thesis exploring the cost-effectiveness of Sweden's national vaccination programs.

23 Dec 2020

Come for your eye exam, leave with a band-aid on your arm

With multiple COVID-19 vaccines rapidly heading toward approval, optometrists and dentists are pushing for the authority to immunize patients during routine eye exams and dental cleanings.

3 Dec 2020

New trial tests combination antibody treatment for preventing COVID-19 illness

A combination antibody treatment for preventing COVID-19 illness in individuals who have had sustained exposure to someone with the virus is being studied by researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

25 Sep 2020

FDA approves first drug for patients with hypereosinophilic syndrome in nearly 14 years

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Nucala (mepolizumab) for adults and children aged 12 years and older with hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) for six months or longer without another identifiable non-blood related cause of the disease.

25 Sep 2020

A subunit SARS-CoV-2 vaccine may offer broader protection against virus

A new study published in the preprint server bioRxiv in September 2020 reports on the structure of this protein, as revealed by cryo-electron microscopy (cryoEM).

23 Sep 2020

Key changes to Adult and Child Immunization schedule for 2020

The new Childhood and Adolescent Immunization Schedule and the Adult Immunization Schedule for 2020 are out, just released by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). This is an annual event following its yearly revision.

5 Feb 2020

Many older people in Australia are missing out on shingles vaccination

Many older Australians are missing out on the chance to get vaccinated against shingles, according to the latest edition of Australian Prescriber.

3 Feb 2020

New antibody shows promise in active lupus

A new trial involving the use of an antibody called anifrolumab reports improvement in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) after 52 weeks of treatment. The research, titled 'Trial of Anifrolumab in Active Systemic Lupus Erythematosus', is published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

19 Dec 2019